Bound
by Not All Heroes Wear Capes
Summary: When he opened his eyes she was right was there looking back at him, with no guards, no pretences, nothing between them but air and they felt it. A story of love, betrayal and a destiny far greater than any of them. She is the Alpha who completed his life, and he was the vampire who threatened to ruin hers.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight.

The meeting was set and there was no getting out of it. The evidence was overwhelming and they couldn't, and wouldn't run from the storm heading their way. The only thing they could do was prepare and do their damnedest to make sure they made it out the other side in one piece. Treaty's were tested and boundaries were strengthened.

They'd agreed on the location, and though there was everything they'd rather do, they pushed onward. They'd left the cars behind and ran through town. With it being seven in the afternoon, the only people left milling around were middle aged men in the pub, and the store owners closing up for the night. Neutral territory sat away from Forks and La Push – a good twenty miles east in the depths of the Olympic National Forest. Thankfully the sky was clear and it was only the damp soil beneath their shoes that scuffed the bottoms of their trousers.

It took no more than two minutes to reach the large clearing, but anyone walking to their own execution would slow their pace. They heard the _thump thump _of the Pack, the snarls and growls, the soft kicks of mud as they paced and shuffled around. They were far from calm, and realised their approach only a few moments later. High pitched whines rang through the forest. A loud snarl reverberated around them and all fell silent. Nervous eyes squinted and searched for any way out but Carlisle powered on, and his family followed as he knew they would.

There was a good five hundred feet between them, but that didn't seem enough to keep the wolves at bay. The Pack had grown since their last communication – booming from a decent seven, to an impressive twelve. The new editions looked very small and kept twitching as they stood on the very end of the line. They would snarl and bare their teeth before catching themselves and giving their head a quick shake to calm down.

Sam stood in front of them all as his Pack sat behind. It was a fake sense of dominance – a wolf pack's hierarchy was never stable. He was a very tall man and probably the oldest of all of the Pack at twenty seven. He was not the largest wolf, as Carlisle remembered from a previous meeting, and seemed to make up for that fact by being a ruthless Pack leader. He stood before them, bare chested and muscular glowering at them from the other side of the clearing.

Carlisle could see this new alliance heading south.

His family beside him in a line mirroring the Quileute's, _just in case. _You could never be too sure with wolves. He was very hesitant to make the first move, sure that any movement towards them could spark an all out attack and, at the very least, a few hysterical reactions. He didn't want to put his family in any more undue danger.

He was spared any further awkward silence by the sudden arrival of the third party. He had no knowledge or information on the Makah people. He had been blissfully unaware that they, too, had a shape-shifting ability within their gene pool. He was pretty sure something like that would have had him avoiding the State of Washington like a rabid dog.

They had only a few seconds warning before the first wolf stepped out of the woods and out into the open. More and more followed, as quiet as the night. Had it not been for their hearts beating and their soft, even breathes he wouldn't have even known anything was stood there with them. These wolves were different from the Quileute's, but only marginally. Their legs were longer and their bodies much smaller and shorter. Their fur was also a lot shorter, and a uniform dark brown or black colour. Their eyes were much smaller and their ears larger, with shorter snouts and much smaller paws.

They all watched their entrance with silent eyes, though Jasper couldn't help but be impressed with their calm demeanour. Every step seemed perfectly thought out and precise, even as they fanned out and mirrored the same line formation the others had assumed. Sixteen wolves joined the clearing and, in their own time, sat quite calmly and cast their eyes, once to the Quileute's to their right, and the Cullen's to their left.

Lastly, a small girl appeared. The two centre wolves had left a small gap and she brushed her fingers through their fur as she walked between them. They towered over her petite five foot three frame, standing at ten foot tall at the very smallest, and maybe twelve at the most. Both wolves bowed their beads and watched her walk between them, their eyes intent on her as their protectiveness shone through.

The girl didn't seem quite as nervous. She appeared curious as she looked at the Cullen's, and she thought they looked curious as they stared back. She paid no mind to Sam or his Pack, and she could already feel the hostility rolling off them. The vampires were different and seemed quite calm and collected in the face of so many wolves. The blond guy in the middle was patently the leader and she thought he looked kind for a vampire.

They all waited.

–

Jasper had been partially unwilling to take part in the _training _Carlisle had suggested. His knowledge of newborns and fighting styles earned him the role of _trainer _and there was nothing less he had ever wanted. In the centre of the clearing, he used Emmett to demonstrate technique. Even his brother seemed stoic and quiet in the face of his enemies. All eyes were on them, and every time one of them hit the ground they felt far too vulnerable and were on their feet again within a second.

The girl had retreated back between the two large wolves and stood leaning against the one to her right, her eyes intent and studious. Those wolves were very still, apart from their eyes and ears as they tracked each moment and blow. Emmett thought they were much more eerie than the Quileute's.

When they were finished for the day, Jasper and Emmett returned to their family. Sam waited for a few seconds before nodding his goodbye to Carlisle and exploding there and then into a wolf, releasing a mind shattering howl, and sprinting off into the woods behind them. His pack followed without caution, leaving the new wolves alone with the Cullen's.

A few moments passed in still silence before the girl chortled to herself and the wolves around her broke rank, leaning forwards and clawing the ground as they stretched out their legs. Carlisle thought it was quite amusing to watch, and realised that his family were not considered the worst enemy in the clearing. A few of the wolves even laid down and yawned with drooping eyes, while others sat back again and peered around them with little interest. Reading wolf facial expressions was not easy.

"Stay here," Carlisle said quietly to his family. He hoped they listened to him.

The girl could be eighteen at most, and looked too fragile and small to transform into a great hulking wolf. It had previously been believed that women did not inherit the wolf gene, but clearly the Makah wolves had their own rule book. He stepped away from his family, ignoring the hisses and sighs of frustration.

He was very wary – he watched the slumbering wolves peel their eyes open and twitch their ears. Those that were stood had their eyes pinned to Carlisle and tracked his every step. He trained his eyes on the girl, who had pushed away from the tall wolf at her side and stood regarding him with caution in her eyes. It took her only a second or two to step from her own family, ignoring the quiet warning growls and whines from those around her, and out into the open.

The pair took it slow, not trusting each other at all but both willing to take that risk. She had seen nothing but gentle, encouraging touches and friendly smiles – nothing of the usual trademarks of a coven out for trouble. In comparison to Sam and his Pack, this girl was practically human.

She looked at his expensive, shiny watch and perfectly creased trousers. He looked so human that she couldn't help but smile. He took in her messy ponytail, ragged cargo pants and black mud smeared shirt. They reached one another, and she could see how tense his coven were from over his shoulder.

Still smiling at his trousers, she extended her hand and said, "Isabella Swan."

His returning smile was small but reached his eyes. "Carlisle Cullen," he said, shaking her hand. He noticed her skin wasn't as scolding as Sam's but still warmer than usual for a human. They dropped their hands and dithered for a few moments.

"So you hunt animals," she said quietly. Her voice was soft and inquisitive and Carlisle wondered just how old she was. Her eyes peered into his with unabashed curiosity. "I've never seen that before... It's impressive," she added with a small nod of respect.

"We chose to live alongside humans," Carlisle explained patiently. "I, myself, work as a doctor at Forks Hospital, and the others, besides my mate Esme, attend the High School..."

Bella didn't quite know what to say, but didn't want to offend them on their first meeting. She heard the familiar but odd sound of choking and knew her Pack were laughing at the very idea of vampires attending school. "You're a doctor?" she repeated. Carlisle nodded and Isabella looked even more impressed. "We were told there were seven in your coven," she added with glance at the five stood on the other side of the clearing.

"My son, Edward is on his way back from Chicago as we speak," Carlisle assured her quietly.

"You call him your 'son'?" she said politely. He was surprised she called him out on it – it was a stipulation had made sure was perfectly clear. She was beginning to think the Cullen's were more human than vampire.

"We prefer to think of ourselves as a family," he said with a kind smile.

The girl nodded thoughtfully.

They parted with quiet goodbyes, and Isabella stood and watched Carlisle lead his _family _from the clearing. Her pack milled around her with mild annoyance. She had assured them that a Treaty with the vampires would be temporary and thin, not that she'd shake their hands and have a chit chat.

"Remember their scents," she said quietly, and slowly the wolves jogged over and noted every Cullen's scent so as not to confuse it with an enemy later. Thomas stayed at her side. As her Beta, he was her second in command and her closest friend. His disapproval was palpable as he stared down at her with his large yellow eyes. "They're not normal vampires," she said quietly. "I didn't expect them to be so..."

Thomas snorted and rolled his eyes. She changed to her wolf form, feeling the warm shivers rush over her skin and every hair on her body standing on end until she reared up and fell back down on four legs, shaking out her fur. She could never decide whether she preferred being a human or a wolf – both felt just as _right._

She was immediately accosted by the many thoughts of her pack. Their voices were quiet and respectful – everyone knew the tedium of a screaming thought pattern, and avoided it studiously. They headed over to where the Cullen's had stood and catalogued their scents, noting the sugary sweetness that made her wince.

_Let's go home, _she said to them with a toss of her head. Off they shot, some sprinting away and some loping leisurely through the trees. They had only received word of the meeting that morning, and a number of them had been doing late patrols and hadn't slept the night before. She ran behind them, listening to their thoughts on the meeting. Sam and his wolves featured more than she expected but she understood and shared the sentiment.

Bella had never met vampires like these Cullen's. Plenty had been courteous, and a few had even been curious, but none had shook her hand and held themselves with such poise and humility. Most of the vampires they saw were nomads or small, two or three person covens who wore tatty clothes and spent most of their time arguing or bickering. The Cullen's seemed fluid.

Bella, Keiran and, Harry and Lana headed out for that nights' patrols. The sun was fast setting, and the Pack gathered on the beach to discuss the meeting. Their fire was lit and they sat on the concrete slabs around it, tossing in sticks and stretching out as they returned to their human form. One by one the voices disappeared until there was only her and the others on patrol.

* * *

I haven't posted anything for a few years now, so let me know what you think :)


	2. Chapter 2

The next meeting was four days later, and after much pressure from the Tribal Council, she kept to her wolf form as they approached. Sam and his Pack sat in the same position as last time, glaring and snarling as the Makah Pack took their places. The two tribes hadn't been on civil terms for almost five years and the grudge was still too fresh to ignore.

Bella urged her pack to stay calm and ignore Sam. Five minutes passed and Sam couldn't help but voice his anger. The Cullen's were late.

Thunder rumbled in the grey skies above them. Rain poured down and Bella sighed as she shook the water from her eyes. Her fur kept her warm, but she could see Sam debating on whether to phase or not. Quiet steps reached their ears and made the ground beneath their paws vibrate ever so slightly. Seven approached from the east; Carlisle's _son _had joined them.

As the clearing became water logged and slick with rain, the Cullen's broke through the tree line and emerged dripping wet and looking as miserable as they all felt.

"Sorry for keeping you waiting," Carlisle said courteously. Bella dipped her head and Sam merely grunted as he folded his arms across his chest. The Cullen's fanned out into their usual line, and eyes turned to the newest member.

_Edward._

He looked, by far, the youngest of all of the vampires. His hair was black and, like everyone else, smothered to his head, and his eyes and lips were so taught anyone would have thought he was getting nails through his palms. Rain dripped from the end of his nose as his eyes bore into the wolves in the clearing. He had laid eyes on Sam and his pack more times than he cared to count, but this new Pack, lead by a small unassuming female, was what caught his interest.

It was clear which wolf was the Alpha – not that she was any larger or colourful than the rest, but there was a dare behind her eyes, and a confidence in the curve of her spine. Her yellow eyes pierced straight through him, unyielding and devilish. He could see why Carlisle was interested in a communication with them.

Edward had no idea what was going on – as much as he tried, he heard not a squeak from any of the Makah Pack. It was frustrating, and he quietly shared this revelation with his family. It didn't soothe any of their worries, but Carlisle remained confident that they bore little familiarity to the Quileute's. Without his ability, Edward didn't hear the shouts of surprise or the ripples of shock that shot through the Makah ranks.

Bella had felt the crackling electricity travelling over her skin – setting every nerve alight and making her shudder. She knew what it meant. She felt something shift in her mind. Her eyes returned to _Edward _and she felt it again – another shudder.

_Fuck._

Her pack showed nothing, but the Cullen's had noticed the twitching ears and uneasy head turns within the ranks. Something had happened, or been said and their usual military precision had been shattered. One wolf whined, high pitched as he began to stand. The wolf they presumed to be Isabella lunged forward and barked loudly. The wolf sat back down and, as Bella returned to her own spot, the pack fell still and silent once again.

Their thoughts were a different matter altogether.

_Imprinting on a vampire! That's impossible!_

Everyone had an opinion, so much so that Bella was struggling to form one of her own. Thomas had kept his mind silent and she felt him nudged her. His mute support was much appreciated and she changed back into her human form with little thought to her promises to the Council. She needed to think without fifteen other voices clambering to he heard.

Expecting nudity, Edward averted his eyes but he could see her through his families eyes, wearing beige cargo trousers that had Alice gagging, and a simple white shirt that quickly became sodden and see through. She was glad she wore a bra that day.

Edward looked up from the floor and felt... nothing like he'd ever felt before. It was as though someone had dumped his mind in ice cold water, freezing everything in that one second and stamping it in his mind forever. He saw a different girl to the one his family saw. He found himself fascinated by the smooth, pale skin of her cheek and the small freckle just above her elbow.

He wanted to pin her down and learn everything – every nook and cranny. He wanted to catalogue every bruise, freckle and scar and learn the stories. He wanted to snatch her away from the massive wolves that stood only a foot behind her, away from Sam as he glared at her from across the clearing.

He showed nothing.

Jasper, who stood three down from him, merely smirked as he stared across the clearing. Edward heard his amusement echo through his thoughts and resisted the urge to throw him to Sam for dinner.

_Congratulations, _he thought, only half joking.

They were screwed.

–

The training session got under way as the rain abated and they were left to dry off. Jasper and Emmett took centre stage yet again, and this time explained how _not _to grab or chase a newborn.

"If they get their hands around you, you're dead-" he said heavily. "They run on pure instinct, without any forethought or plan in mind. Get behind them and they're easy pickings," he said as Emmett prepared himself for another attack.

Jasper couldn't help but glance to Isabella. She had paid little attention compared to the previous session and her mind was obviously elsewhere. He had felt the shock, outrage and fear radiate through her pack moments before she had phased back to her human form. Sam and his pack were very attentive.

Isabella was already dry, and she was glad that she ran warmer than usual. Her mind had wandered endlessly and she felt bad for not paying attention. Imprinting on a vampire was uncommon but not unheard of. Their legends told of numerous wolves who fell in battle because of sudden unrequited imprinting. She feared the Council's opinion and resulting rule. She feared her Pack. She had felt the horror and undertone of disgust.

The session ended once again.

"They'll be here in two weeks," Carlisle said as he stepped forward.

Bella shook her head. "We're not ready."

"We should go out there and meet them head on. We'd have the element of surprise-" Sam began deeply.

"And they'd have the home team advantage, and it doesn't change the fact that _we're not ready," _she said snappily, sending a withering glare over to him. "We need more than theory."

Jasper didn't like she was heading but Sam beat him to it. "You want us to – what – _spar _with them?" Sam cried in outrage. "I am not about to put my Pack in their hands," he said gesturing to the Cullen's.

"That's because you're nothing more than a litter of pathetic puppies who couldn't fight off a rash, never mind a vampire!" Bella fired back, quickly growing angry.

Sam exploded without warning, landing on all four paws with his head bent low and a deep growl seeping from between his bared teeth. Bella did not move or even flinch. Her wolves didn't move to protect her, and the Cullen's could only watch.

Bella knew Sam better than he expected. She knew he wouldn't attack, knew that he was all bravado and threats without soul or reason. He would not attack in front of so many. He would not allow mere words spur his temper too far, though it was clear to see the effect they'd already had on him.

"I am willing to risk _my life _so that my people are safer. You brought us into this fight – I am not going to walk in unprepared!"

Sam growled for a few seconds before falling silent and standing from his bent position. He clawed the ground for a few moments before turning and running off into the forest. His Pack were left clueless and followed shortly after. Bella shook her head and took a few deep breathes, and, after a few moments to calm herself down, glanced over to the Cullen's and said, "Sorry," quietly.

The Cullen's thought it was more amusing than anything. Edward kept his eyes firmly off Isabella, and she did the same to him. Neither wanted to face that reality just yet. "You want to practice..." Jasper clarified.

"We are not Quileute's," Bella reminded him. "Don't tar us with the same brush," she said and he could sense her defensiveness. Clearly the two packs had a history and the tension was painfully obvious but he remained wary.

A large light brown wolf bumped her shoulder with his snout, and when she turned she found herself staring at Rachel – a petite, quiet girl that Bella often found had some of the most interesting thoughts. Her eyes were worried and troubled but she just patted her snout and smiled as reassuringly as possible.

Jasper went to the middle of the clearing. His family stood on tender hooks as Bella walked from her pack and met him. She seemed calm enough and even smiled and nodded in greeting. "No teeth," Jasper said quickly.

"Ditto," Bella agreed with a wry grin.

The pair backed up and in a blink, the girl was replaced by a magnificent chocolate brown wolf with a bushy tail and swished this way and that with anticipation. Her pack shuffled uncomfortably but Bella told them to stay put. The last thing she needed was another war sparking because of her sensitive and protective pack.

They were both wary but as Bella dipped her snout, Jasper nodded back at her and it was on.

He shifted left and she watched him. Suddenly he darted to the right and she spun to keep him in her sights. "Newborns are faster and stronger than any of us," Jasper reminded them. He ran straight at her and she wasn't expecting it.

She dodged left but she felt steel cold arms around her neck and she was pulled to the ground with his weight on top of her. Instantly, his arms disappeared and she felt his weight lift. Growls rang out through the clearing but Bella got to her feet and shook it off, and with a short bark to her nervous Pack, they settled again.

Jasper stood waiting, unsure if she was willing to go for round two. She faced him and dipped her head. "They will come straight for you with brute strength and speed," he said as he once again ran straight for her.

Again and again she went down and her frustration grew. It had looked easy when the vampires had demonstrated, but without hands and fingers it wasn't quite as easy to _grab and rip. _Instead of dodging, she lunged for him and they collided and collapsed on the ground in a scrap of pushes and claws.

"Okay," Jasper said as they stilled and the wolf lay panting. He could feel her little spike of pride, but also her burning determination. "Let's go again."

With her feet now beneath her, he was able to develop her skills. "Play to your strengths," he advised her. "Fight how you know you can win."

Bella wasn't exactly sure what she was good at, but thought she had a pretty good eye. When she lunged, she never missed. After her fourth time pinning him, she looked to her pack. None were willing to step forward and she didn't push the matter any further. Obviously she wanted everyone on the same level. Ready or not, this newborn army was heading towards them and she'd rather not lose anyone, and risk a few injuries here and now.

"You alright?" Jasper asked suddenly. He was very aware that she was still flesh and blood with a thudding heart. She was just as vulnerable as any human. He was also aware that Edward was biting his tongue and pinning himself to the spot to keep from launching himself at his brother.

The wolf nodded and Jasper felt no feelings of fear or discomfort from her at all. She was in no hurry to run back to the safety of her pack. "You're nothing like the Quileute's," Jasper said quietly.

Bella shifted back to human form, because if they were going to talk she'd have to get a working tongue. "Thank for noticing," she said after clearing her throat.

"You don't get along," Jasper observed.

Bella scoffed. "And you do?" she shot out. "We were allies going back generations, until five years ago."

He could see the anger there in her eyes, and feel it from every single wolf. "What happened?"

"We were under attack. Eight vampires, all pretty young, had decided to test us. They were... unbelievable. We couldn't touch them, literally...one of them had an ability," she explained. "We sent a wolf to La Push asking for their support. They refused," she spat as she looked into the depths of the forest. "Apparently they weren't willing to fight a loosing battle. We managed to take down the one with the ability and the others were easy after that," she paused and glanced at Jasper. "We lost six wolves, thirty two adults and fifteen children in one day."

Heads hung low at the memory of their fallen brothers, their best friends, their family. They felt pain from one to another, and the loss and sheer grief of losing six wolves had knocked them off their feet for months. The shame and bitterness in losing so many of their people had almost been too much to bear.

"They offered to help us rebuild and we refused," she said after a few moments. "When they asked us for our help now, we almost refused on principle..." she said truthfully. "But we know the devastation a newborn army would cause to the human population."

–

As she'd predicted, the Council were less than impressed with her behaviour. She sat in the council chambers with the other council members and listened to them prattle on about safety and morality while she was forced to sit and take it all.

As Alpha, she was in charge of the Pack and had a seat on the council. The Tribal Leaders were the only ones who had control over her, but even then it only extended so far. Still, it was always better to keep the Leaders sweet and on your side. She'd been Alpha for almost twelve years now, and still three of the four council members disapproved.

Word of her sparring with Jasper had reached their ears, and none of them were pleased. She plead her case but it made no difference. She was under warning; one more step out of line and she was to be removed as Alpha. It was shocking, and a little bit of an over-reaction in her mind but she understood their need to protect their people.

After the meeting, she joined the others on the beach around the fire. She was slapped on the back and shook and she laughed along with them as they recounted her fight with the vampire. They didn't seem too put off, and at the end of the night a few even mentioned how they wished they'd had a go. No-one mentioned the imprinting fiasco and she couldn't have been any more grateful.

At night slipped into morning they all traipsed to their homes for what little sleep they could catch. The lights were all out when Bella pushed open the front door and stepped into the house. She could hear the heavy, even snores from her grandfather in his bedroom and smiled as she kicked off her shoes and headed down the hall to her own bedroom. She was exhausted. She stripped off and climbed into bed, closed her eyes and waited to drift off.

Instead, all she saw was _him._

Edward Cullen.

Her imprint.

He was going to ruin her life. The council was already seventy five percent against her and were looking for any way to get her out. If they found out, it would be everything they needed and a hell of a lot more. Hours slipped by and sleep was forgotten. In frustration she jumped from bed and pulled on some clean clothes. She headed out of the house and up to the main road that led out of the reservation. She passed Lana as she patrolled and nodded as she shifted into her wolf form and sped off into the forest.

Running always helped her think, helped to clear her head, and usually helped tire her mind as well as her body. She didn't care where she ran, as long as she kept from the main roads and was on alert for any stray campers or hikers she was fine. Miles flew underneath her paws. Her fur rippled with every flex of her back. She loved it.

She found herself in the woods nearing Forks – having almost crossed onto La Push by accident and heading east instead. Forks was a sleepy, inconsequential town where nothing happened about from rain and middle aged drinking. It was half past three in the morning when she found a spot beneath a tree where the leaves didn't drip, and laid down.

Sure enough, as soon as she closed her eyes and exhaled, her mind went blissfully blank.

–

She woke with a start. Someone was close. She could hear their slow and careful steps. She heard their exhaled breathes and the ruffle of their shirt in the wind. She noticed the absence of a heartbeat and the light tread of their steps.

The wind carried their scent right to her but she didn't recognise it at all.

Silently, she backed up so she had the cover of the trees around her and crouched low to the ground – her mind was empty. It must have been late morning. The vampire approached ever so slowly, almost as if they didn't want to startle her. She waited with baited breath.

She wasn't expecting to see Edward Cullen making his way towards her, his eyes set and locked on hers. He had been hunting and caught her familiar scent and, curious as he was about her, he sought her out. It wasn't the smartest thing to do, and he knew his family would go berserk when they found out. He hadn't got around to telling them about Isabella yet anyway.

She stayed in wolf form but stood from her crouch as he came closer. "I thought we ought to talk."

Her eyes narrowed but she didn't seem willing to talk with him. He didn't blame her – they were natural enemies after all. The problem was, she was all he could think of and he had never, _ever _felt so strung out or out of his mind in his life. He was used to knowing and having everything, and in walks Isabella with her silent mind and _enemy _status.

Eventually she phased back into human, but she remained at a distance. She didn't know what he wanted, but already she could feel the pull of the imprint. She wanted to peel his shirt off and touch his skin. She wanted to claim him, protect him, covet him as her own. Instincts were difficult to overcome. "About what?"

Edward hadn't said it aloud, not even to himself with his family so near. He had been alone for so long – more than a hundred years. The idea of having a mate, of her standing just a few feet away should have filled him with unbridled joy but instead he felt fear and reservation.

He heard her heart thud heavily in her chest. He saw her pupils contract. He could _smell _her.

He felt his lust stir and a low growl slipped from his throat. Her pulse quickened and stared at him with parted lips. No words were needed.

She walked to him, closing the distance quickly and without caution. With a strength and heat he wasn't accustomed to, her hot little hands reached behind his head. Her nails dragged across his scalp and she grabbed his thick hair between her fingers. Before he could groan or throw her on the ground she was there, pulling him down and crushing her lips to his with an infectious desperation.

His hands were on her. On her cheeks, on her hips, on her back, on her ass... he didn't need to breath but she did and when she pulled away he felt her little fingers trail down his neck to his shirt. She tore it from his body. The sound seemed to rouse them both, and they looked at one another, both breathing too heavily, with dark hooded eyes. There was nothing saying no.

It was a brutal game of dominance between them – the vampire and the Alpha. Their kisses were hard and scorching. His shirt fell to the ground in two pieces and he grabbed her and picked her up. Her legs wrapped around his waist and he felt her heat through his jeans. She didn't care that he slammed her against a tree, or that it scratched and hurt her back. _Nothing _felt as much as he did.

He tore her shirt as she had done his, and smothered her against the tree. Her skin was so hot it was like standing in front of an open fire. He felt her breasts against him. Her nipples hardened against his cold skin and she groaned.

Clothes were shed and inhibitions lost. There was no love between them, only carnal instinct to claim. He didn't need to tell her he was a virgin. He didn't care if she was or not. He needed her, and from the way she was mewing the gyrating beneath him, she needed him too.

Nothing else mattered; not the newborns, not the Council, not the Quileute's...

There was no equal feeling as he slid inside her. He'd always romanticised it, but there were no gentle caresses or loving whispers. Neither of them had time for that. It was nothing but movement and heat, and moans and nails on skin. It was everything. Her teeth sank into his neck and he felt his knees shake as he slammed her into the tree and squeezed her ass in his palms as he ploughed into her.

She felt too hot, too good... and her sounds were too much.

The tree groaned as he pushed against it. She was so close, too close until she was right there in a blaze of euphoria and muscle spasms. She wondered when it would end, but wave after wave threatened to suffocate her. Slowly they subsided and like someone had hit mute on her mind, she drifted for a while as she came back down.

The silence was palpable. Her ears rang and she could feel her pulse radiating throughout her entire body. Her back was sore and she could already feel bruises blooming on her bottom. Still, she rested her head against his shoulder with her arms around his neck and tried her best to breathe.

He hadn't moved yet, and she felt herself becoming worried as reality dawned.

Finally, he stepped away from the tree and her legs slid from around his waist and hit the floor. He stepped away from her and suddenly she couldn't look him in the eyes. She was completely naked and she hastened to gather her clothes. She was, however, shirtless.

_Fuck._

"I'm sorry about your back," he said in a whisper from behind her where he was pulling on his trousers. He could see the dried blood smeared across her skin.

"It's fine," she said quickly. "I heal quick."

Silence surrounded them both. She wished she could smile and laugh it all away, but nothing about the situation was amusing in the slightest. "You're my imprint," she admitted as she pulled on her socks a little too harshly. It was clear that this was not good news.

"You're my mate," he replied evenly.

She did laugh, because it was so messed up. She looked at him as she found her shoes behind a berry bush. His eyes were a bright gold and he looked just as young as he did the first time she laid eyes on him. "What the hell are we going to do now?"

"I'll head into town and get you a shirt," he said. She was about to argue the point, but she couldn't return home shirtless. She didn't miss the smallest of smirks as he looked at her.

"Thanks," she agreed quietly.

He was gone for only a minute or so, but had managed to find another simple blue shirt almost identical to the one he'd torn. She pulled it on quickly and then stood, unsure. He had dodged the question earlier, but she needed an answer.

"If I screw up one more time they'll demote me from Alpha," she said suddenly. "They don't know about you yet, never mind this," she said gesturing to the splintered, battered tree they'd just christened. She rubbed her hands over her face and realised her hair was a complete mess. She vaguely recalled hands tugging and grabbing and blushed as she tried to smooth it out.

"Don't you have Imprint laws like the Quileute's?" he asked quietly, and it made her stomach go a bit wobbly to realise he was, in a way, fighting for this.

"You're a vampire – that negates any and all laws."

She would lose everything. Not only would she be demoted, but she dreaded to think what the Council Leaders would have her doing. The Makah people were simple – women cooked, cleaned, cared for children and their men. The men fished and hunted, travelled to neighbouring towns and cities to trade.

"We'll figure it out," he said softly.

She didn't hold out much hope, and quickly transformed into a wolf. With a nod of her head, she ran from him and the truth of what they'd just done. She had already accepted that there was no way of keeping it from the Pack. They already knew about the imprint, and she hoped they didn't react too badly.

She heard only four voices as she ran towards home. Lana, Keiran, Jane and Julie all saw and heard everything. They were outraged and disgusted. Lana's voice disappeared, but Bella had already seen her intentions and it only spurred her on faster. She was on Makah soil within twenty minutes, and transformed to human form as soon as she hit the garage – the first building along the main road into the reservation.

It was too late – she could already feel it. The Council building sat in the middle of the reservation – it looked like a block of communal toilets. It was a tatty, tiny building that had once been painted blue and was surrounded by lush green grass and the most beautiful of flowers. Now it sat with chipped paint and a hole in the roof, surrounded by piles of mud and smashed concrete.

She approached the weather battered white door, and was reaching out for the handle when it swung open and Lana walked out. She was a few years older than Bella, with long jet black hair and beautiful sandy skin. She stared at Bella defiantly with an almost-there smirk on her face as she held the door open.

Bella said nothing and walked inside. There was a only a small porch entrance and then a single door, behind which she knew sat the council leaders ready to toss her out on her ass. Exhaling and steeling her nerve, she put her palm against the door and pushed it open.

–

They knew the moment he stepped in the house.

She was all over him – not to mention he'd left six hours previous fully clothed and had returned minus a shirt and spectacularly less stressed. He headed up for a shower, but he knew his family would not be held at bay for very long. He was pleased to hear that Jasper had kept his word and hadn't said anything to anyone, not even his wife Alice.

He sat in the living room, clean and fully clothed, and waited for the verbal battering he was about to receive. Jasper's thoughts radiated nothing but support. He prayed his family shared the sentiment.

"Of all the people to bed – you go for a wolf -" Rosalie began after a few seconds of silence. "And it's not just any wolf – you had to bed the _fucking Alpha!" _she all but screamed at him.

"Rosalie-" Esme said sharply. She also wasn't too happy with the choice of meat, but thus far the wolf girl had done nothing against them. "How is this going to work?"

Edward felt his shoulders hunch forward as he put his head in his hands. "I'm her imprint – that's what happened yesterday in the clearing. She said she's going to lose her position as Alpha because of this..." he said quietly. He would never make her chose.

"But the law-"

"Apparently becomes redundant because I'm a vampire," Edward interrupted Alice quickly.

Though his family weren't too pleased, they understood the pull and instincts of a mate. They knew that it was uncontrollable. They felt sympathy for his situation, but there was nothing anyone could do. It was Isabella's choice to stay or go.


	3. Chapter 3

The following meeting was met with severe anxiety on all fronts. Edward hadn't heard from Bella since the woods, and she hadn't been anywhere near Forks. If she had been right in her predictions, she would no longer stand as Alpha. He didn't know much of her, but it was clear how much the title meant to her.

They went to the clearing and, for the first time, arrived early. The Quileute's arrived next and Edward was only held in place by Emmett's firm hand on his shoulder. He could see their minds filled with mirth and amusement and hatred. They knew about him and Bella, and he could see their plan to bring it to a head and force their hands. He conveyed the information to his family quietly in a vain hope that, somehow, they would be able to keep both him and Isabella from acting out.

He wished he could speak to her, but as the Makah Tribe arrived she did not stand in the middle as Alpha. In her place stood a tall willowy girl, with tanned skin and slick black hair. Her eyes were cold and calculating as she crossed her arms over her chest and waited. Carlisle thought she looked like the female version of Sam.

Isabella stood some way down the line, her eyes on the floor and her head hung low. He wondered if they had ordered her eyes on the ground, or whether it was shame that weighed them down. He wanted to go over and comfort her. He wanted to push everyone out of the way and run away with her. He didn't know her. He loved her, undeniably, without even liking her. There was emotion, but nothing solid behind it.

Jasper got on with the training and nothing was mentioned of Bella or the 'hands-on' approach they'd done the session previous. The air was hot and thick and hung around them. The new girl said nothing, showed nothing and earned no respect from the Cullen's at all. Whether they'd realised it or not, Isabella's relaxed, risk taking had endeared her to them.

Sam paid no attention to Jasper or Emmett. His focus was solely on Edward as he screamed his thoughts across the clearing. Initially, he had thought it quite amusing to hear his pitiful attempts to provoke him. Insults and mocking stabs at himself and his family were too common place to have any purchase. His attention turned to Bella. He had noticed the demotion, had revelled in seeing her usual confidence deep in the dirt.

Edward tried to ignore him, but his mental voice was so loud. He imagined Bella, bloody and bleeding on the floor. He imagined her naked with a seductive smile.

A low growl slipped from his mouth but Sam continued. Jasper glanced his way, begging him to maintain his cool. Sam hated Bella as much as she hated him. His mind filled with nothing but images of Bella broken and bleeding, of her getting _everything she deserved. _She was his mate, his and his alone, and he would not stand by idle while someone threatened her.

One step was all it took – his left foot hit the ground in front of him and all hell broke loose. Jasper and Emmett stopped as Sam phased into his huge wolf form and crouched, snarling at Edward. Not wanting to escalate the situation, they backed away slowly and returned to the ranks of their family.

"Back down," Carlisle hissed as his eyes danced between his son and the wolf. Edward didn't move. His eyes remained locked with Sam's as he stalked forwards. A wolf was nothing but fur and sharp claws. He was not scared of Sam.

Behind him, the Quileute's watched with hungry eyes, itching to join the fight.

He didn't see Bella raise her head from the ground. Sam prowled closer, goading Edward, teasing his instincts and _God _was it hard to ignore. A low growl filled the clearing and Isabella stepped out of formation; a warning and nothing more.

Sam turned his eyes on her – only thirty feet stood between them. She was calm but ready. Bent low, he suddenly pounced. She was fast – so fast nothing stopped her as she collided with Sam in a frenzy of teeth and claws. The Makah Tribe held back, wary as they were to get involved to close to the Quileute's and create an all out battle.

There was nothing but instinct and hatred. Her mind forgot about Lana and the Council, about the Treaty and the army they were supposed to be uniting against. It didn't matter. The moment Edward had taken that step forward, her fate was sealed. She would not allow anyone, never mind _Sam _to stand against her imprint. He was hers to protect.

Yelps and howls rang out as they kicked and bit and clawed ruthlessly at one another. Blood sprayed the grass around them. On their feet, Sam lunged for her a second time but she dodged to the left and, with her entire weight, she clamped her razor like teeth into his shoulder. An ear splitting howl pierced through the forest as he hit the ground hard. Pinned beneath her, she crouched and her teeth had barely grazed his skin before something slammed into her side and she felt another set of feet sink into the back of her neck. They landed heavily on the floor and it loosened his grip. Back on her feet, snarling and ready to rip out as many throats as needed, she watched Thomas squaring off against a bleeding, but standing Sam. The small rust-coloured wolf in front of her snarled and snapped its teeth as they began to circle one another.

"Enough!"

The new Alpha had spoken, and Thomas immediately rose from his crouched stance and backed away towards their back. Bella didn't move. Once a wolf is an Alpha, there is no going back. There was a reason demoting someone was horrendous all around – she had no allegiances to this new Alpha, and had the right to lead herself. Her orders tugged on her mind, but where easily cast away.

"Bella!" Lana yelled somewhat hysterically, but her eyes were on the wolf in front of her. Sam limped his way back to his pack and barked loudly. The red wolf backed up, his eyes boring into her endlessly right up until he bounded off into the forest.

She stared after him. Part of her wanted to hunt him down and have it out – the urge to tear something apart was quite overwhelming. She knew it wasn't him, or not completely. She'd told them she didn't want to be in the clearing, that she shouldn't be there but they had insisted. If she wanted to be a part of the Pack, she couldn't bow out.

"Get back to the reservation," Lana ordered, walking over to her. Blood splattered the grass and Bella could taste it on her tongue. "Now!" Lana all but screamed at her.

Bella was in no mood to be ordered around – never mind by the bitch who ran straight to the Council and ratted her out. Her eyes zeroed in on Lana and, with a fury she'd never felt before in her entire life, she snarled. She sound was quiet and low, but the meaning was clear and Lana quickly stumbled back for the cover of the pack. She glanced back only the once before phasing and heading off into the woods. The others followed suit, casting worried eyes her way.

Adrenaline and rage still coursed through her mind. She knew she shouldn't have snarled at Lana – but she couldn't find it in herself to care.

Thomas quickly phased so as to avoid any fresh _orders. _Lana was running rampant with them and it was quickly growing tiresome. The growling had stopped, but he'd never seen his friend so mad, so out of control. Still, he wasn't afraid of her and walked straight up to her and punched her in the side. She growled quietly and glared down at him. "What the _fuck _are you doing?!"

She tossed her head and turned her back on him.

"You know this is what they wanted-" he said disparagingly. "You're going to lose your place in the pack because of Sam! Because of a vampire?!" he exclaimed.

As her anger faded, pathetic sadness took over. She had fucked up. She changed back into her human form and turned around to face her best friend. He could see the tears in her eyes that she held back like she always did. He could see the blood dripping down her arm from her shoulder.

"I'm not going back-" she began.

"You can't-" he started arguing loudly.

"If you think I'm spending the rest of my life weaving baskets you can think again!" she exclaimed. "If I break from the pack, I'll be okay."

"If you break from the Pack you can't come back," he said with a scowl. "Where are you going to go? What are you going to do?" he asked, becoming more and more frustrated by the second. She wasn't even fighting this.

"I'm not going back to be their fucking puppet anymore!" she cried before wincing and gingerly reaching up and touching her shoulder. "I'd rather be alone."

He swallowed thickly. He knew her words were the truth. He knew what sort of person she was and that she fought against other people's rule, that cooking and cleaning for the rest of her life was her own version of hell. He knew the council had it in for her – they all did, but she never gave in to them and fought them on every point. They'd chosen Bella as an Alpha for a reason.

"You should go," Bella said quietly.

Thomas nodded and backed away to phase. He caught sight of the Cullen's still stood at the bottom of the clearing, having watched it all unfold. He wanted to hate them, wanted to drag Edward in front of the council and tell them to blame him, not Bella. "I hope he's worth it," was all he said before phasing and turning heel and disappearing.

His words twisted like a knife in her chest but she was aware of her audience, and wasn't in the mood for a pity party. She heard her name called, but she was already on all fours running as fast and hard as she could away from all of them.

–

Days passed and there was no word from Bella or the Makah Tribe. The Cullen's had no idea if the Treaty still stood after the fight between Sam and Bella. This new Alpha was an unknown entity and Lord knows how she would handle the new dynamic. Isabella was God knows where. Edward had hoped, somewhat ignorantly, that she was come to him for help.

The meeting was due for late Wednesday night, but when they heard the rhythmic thump of paws heading their way they expected it to be Isabella. He heard his thoughts filled with stress and worry and anger. Edward was bitterly disappointed to find the light coloured wolf heading towards them, phasing mid-stride and continuing on two legs in a quick jog.

They all stood on the porch. "You need to come with me," the man said looking directly at Edward as he took a few deep breathes. He looked at least twenty five, with dark skin and black hair. He had some of the kindest eyes Esme had ever seen. "_Now," _he urged before phasing there and then and taking off back the way he had come, down the drive and into the forest.

Edward took off after him. Carlisle followed after a quick discussion with the others. As much as this girl was causing all sorts of trouble for Edward, there weren't going to watch him run off into a possible trap. But still, if Bella was on the other end of the chase they knew he wouldn't want an audience.

Edward could see the wolves' mind, which was odd considering only a few days previous they had all been silent. _Thomas, _who had previously been Isabella's Beta led him miles and miles out into some of the most dense parts of the Olympic National Forest. Edward could see him running through what had just happened – how she had tried to walk back onto the reservation, only to be stopped by her own Pack. She had stood for half an hour. The tribal leaders had met her at the boundary line and, before she could say a word in her defence, had stripped her of her role in the Pack, had confined her to the reservation and told her to join the other women down at the dock as they weaved fishing baskets and traps for the men.

Thomas and the others who stood to witness were appalled and ashamed, but Lana kept them in check and silent with her orders. They knew Isabella would not reduce herself to such a lowly point after once being Alpha. It was public humiliation on the highest scale, but it was that or leave behind her grandfather, her pack and everything she knew.

She neither said _yes _or _no, _but instead stared at the Council Leaders and spoke in their native _Makah _tongue. Only a handful of people still spoke the language, and two of them sat on the council. Her conversation was short, civil and one sided. When she'd finished speaking, she'd turned and walked calmly from them all. They had no idea what was said, but he intent was clear.

Whines had rang out among the pack but Bella didn't look back, even as she transformed into a wolf and ran off. Her mind did not join theirs. She was no longer a part of the Pack. She was alone.

Thomas had risked his own place in the Pack to come to them, and though Edward could hear and feel his distrust and anger, he loved Bella enough to take that risk.

_Can you hear me?_

Edward said a very quiet, "Yes.

_Good, _the wolf said as his thoughts sunk to insults and perverse wishes. _I know this isn't your fault – but she has lost everything. You're her imprint. She needs you._

"I'll do anything," he agreed quietly.

Thomas remained doubtful, but Edward had nothing to prove to him, only to Bella.

They reached her after a few more minutes. She laid underneath a thick tree, her head turned from them and her eyes shut tightly though she must know they were there. _She doesn't like people seeing she's upset, _he told Edward.

"Isabella-" Edward began as he approached her. Carlisle stayed behind, certain that the situation was real and not a trap. He hadn't heard what Thomas had shown Edward. He didn't understand what had happened just yet.

_She prefers Bella._

"Bella," Edward amended. He saw Thomas back away from the corner of his eye and turned his attention back to Bella. She lay curled on the floor, as small as she could get. She looked so sad and defeated, even as a wolf. Her ears twitched but she didn't open her eyes. "I'm sorry."

She raised her head and looked at him with watery eyes. There was no anger there, no blame and he wanted to reach out and comfort her. He didn't know how to pet a wolf. He didn't want to be patronising. She sighed heavily before getting to her feet and shifting into a human. Her eyes were red and puffy but she wiped them on the back of her hand and sniffed before laughing at herself.

"Me too," she croaked.

She looked to small, so weak and mild. Her back was hunched and her chin hung at her chest – gone was a pride and confidence of an Alpha. He didn't bother looking to Carlisle, or even asking his opinion. He was with this girl one way or another. She'd been cast out, alone and without purpose or shelter and he'd be damned if he sat by and let her wander alone. "You can stay with me."

She looked up with her red eyes. She didn't know. They'd had amazing sex in the woods, and she'd been willing to kill Sam to protect him but that was it. There was nothing more between them and she hesitated. Surely it would only escalate the situation with the Council and make her even more of an outcast.

She couldn't live by their rule anymore – she wasn't one of them anymore. They'd thrown her aside as easily as if she'd been a piece of litter on the ground. Her leadership, the way the pack had excelled under her guidance didn't matter in the end. She wouldn't fight to be back in their graces again – they would have to fight to get back in hers.

"Thank you."

Her eyes went to Thomas and she felt a lump in her throat as her eyes swam with fresh emotion. He stepped from the trees and Edward stepped aside as the wolf passed. He transformed and, without pause, engulfed her in a hot, comforting embrace. He felt her tears hit his arm but didn't mention it as he rested his chin atop her head and let her busy her face in his chest. He'd never had as much respect for anyone as he had for this girl.

"Don't worry," he said quietly as Bella sniffed in his arms. "I don't imagine you being out here on your own for long."

She laughed shortly. "You'll be fine," she said emotionally. "You have to keep them going-" she said suddenly pulling away and looking up into his eyes. "I asked them to make you Alpha," she told him quietly before shaking her head. "The Pack need you there with them."

"Lana is..." he said as he dropped his arms to his side and struggled for words. "She's everything the council wants."

A loud howl rang through the trees and Thomas sighed heavily. "Look after grandpa," she asked with saddening eyes.

"Of course," Thomas said kindly. "We all will."

Bella pushed him away, urging him to go. "Keep them safe."

With a stiff nod, he shifted and darted off into the trees again without looking back. She wiped the tears from her cheeks and tried to swallow her emotions. Her eyes found Edward who stood watching her with sad eyes and unsure hands. She saw Carlisle stood some distance away, and he nodded courteously as she caught his gaze. "Thanks," she repeated.

"Don't worry about it," Edward said politely before an uncomfortable silence settled around them. He cleared his throat and said, "We should head back..."

Bella nodded quietly and shifted, landing on four paws and shaking out her fur. Her eyes were still red but she felt stronger as a wolf. It was just in her head. Carlisle took off quickly, wanting to give the pair some time and space. They didn't follow immediately.

"I know what happened," Edward admitted with sad eyes.

Bella nodded solemnly, figuring Thomas would have informed him on their way. She hadn't asked him to fetch Edward, but she was glad he had. Her damn pride and stubborn nature wouldn't have allowed for it herself. "I know we don't know each other..." he began. "But... I'd like to get to know you."

Bella wasn't ready for any declarations or even thinking about the imprint. They took off without another word and he tried not to feel hurt by the way she'd looked away and not even acknowledged his words.

Carlisle arrived a few minutes before Edward and Bella, and quickly informed the family of Edward's decision. They had a few minutes to decide whether a wolf was to live in their home, or whether they would lose their son and brother. In the end, there was no choice. They refused to cast Edward out, but the thought of having a wolf roaming the house unsettled all of them.

Including Bella.

The house was silent as she approached. She could appreciate the beautiful architecture of the huge house, with its large windows and white stone. She loved the rolling lawn and drive that lead up to the porch, and the way the lawn surrounded the entire house. She could see the gentle trickle of a stream, and saw the three foot channel curving through the back garden. It was a truly beautiful property, and bore no resemblance to the rickety, wooden houses they built on the reservation.

Her feet held her back. The house was surrounded by miles of forest, and she didn't feel comfortable stepping out into the open knowing what lie inside the house. Edward paused with her, looking at her with wide eyes but she shook her head and sat down just inside the tree line. He could understand her reluctance. He wouldn't have felt safe on their land either.

As terrible as he felt, he left her outside and headed inside to deal with his family.

She was glad for the time to be alone. She'd never been more _alone. _Her mind was empty and her own thoughts seemed inadequate after so many years of hearing dozens of others. It had never been so quiet in her own mind. She could hear the soft thuds of the Cullen's walking around inside the house. She heard every whispered argument and pointed insult aimed at her, but not for her own ears.

It had been difficult to stand before Tony and Fredrick and declare herself independent, no longer observing their law or their authority. In those ancient words, she had severed all ties to the Tribe and walked away with what was left of her pride. She would not be a house wife. She would not sit by and watch her pack fight battles and defend the Tribe while she hid in her home. She would not be bound to a human form when she was made for so much more.

_So much more... _she thought, scoffing to herself as she cast her eyes around her. She wouldn't call it _more, _but it was different for sure. She heard one of the Cullen's make a remark about buying a kennel for her to sleep in, which, in truth made her smile. She would have appreciated a kennel.

In theory the plan was a good one. With Edward as her imprint, moving in with him was a logical step. Had it not been for the whole vampire thing, them being natural enemies, and the fact that his entire _family _smelled like bleach and candy floss. Even at a distance from the house, their scents saturated the whole area. Every breath burned her nostrils and she fought off a flinch. She hoped she would grow desensitised to the smell eventually.

She didn't recall Edward smelling of anything foul during their previous encounter.

She lay for just over an hour with her thoughts circling and winding and frustrating her. They all heard her stand up and walk, very cautiously and slowly around house still under cover of the trees. She was curious of her surroundings, and went around to the back of the house, to the stream which turned out to be a small river. She leaped over it easily. She had hoped for some fish, but she would have to look elsewhere for food.

She knew eyes watched her from the windows but as long as they kept their distance, she didn't care how much they stared. She'd lived by the sea her entire life, and without the hiss and rush of the waves lapping at the sand, it all seemed too quiet for her liking. The gentle bubbling off the river was no comparison, but it would do.

When she took off into the forest, Edward's family all breathed a sigh of relief. He didn't appreciate the tension or the rudeness of his siblings. He told them what had happened, hoping it would soften them somewhat to hear how unfair her own people had been to her. Nothing changed, and Rosalie was still sat on the sofa whining and bitching six hours later when Bella returned.

She'd enjoyed a good two hour run before surrendering to her growling hunger and taking down a small deer. It wasn't the most delicious thing she'd ever eaten, but it settled her hunger and was palatable on her wolf tongue. After gorging herself, she'd laid down and taken a short nap. A straying squirrel had roused her as it scuttled too close and jumped away, startled and ran up the nearest tree.

As much as she hated to, her feet took her back to the Cullen house. The strong smell of ammonia began three miles out, and got more and more concentrated the closer she got. It was horrible and painful, and she began to reconsider her acceptance of Edward's offer. She could see now, that he had taken a gamble on her, that he obviously hadn't consulted his coven before asking her to stay and judging from their reactions, she wouldn't have been laid on the edge of their boundaries.

Night fell but thankfully it was dry, and she slept peacefully beneath the bright moon. She wasn't used to long nights and easy days. She had spent years on a routine of council meetings, patrols and making sure her grandpa was fed and happy. With none of those things at her disposal she felt lost and bored.

She woke after just an hour and a half of sleeping, but there were no patrols to run and no-one to check in on. The Cullen's were all inside the house doing whatever, and all she had was the stars and stream to keep her entertained. It had been less than twelve hours, but already she was tediously bored.

She listened to the house, hearing the slow and steady breathes of habit from the vampires inside. Three sat downstairs together, a TV presenter talking to himself on low volume. One lay alone in the garage, banging and squeaking away with tools. Upstairs a woman hummed to herself as she moved clothes around; Bella could hear the rustle of the fabric. She could hear someone turning pages and scribbling something with a pen. One sat alone, isolated at the very top of the house, unmoving and silent doing nothing other than exhaling, and inhaling.

She didn't envy their lack of rest.

She got to her feet, stretching out her aching muscles before walking out of the cover of the trees and over to the edge of the small river. The bank was small but very steep. She lay on her stomach and reached her head down, lapping up the water lazily. She saw no need to do anything in a hurry.

There was movement in the house, and she stilled herself as she stared up at the windows. She saw nothing, but heard the fast and light steps of someone descending the stairs. She knew, though she didn't know how she knew, that it was Edward. Like she had a compass with him as her North, she knew. She wasn't surprised when the back door opened and he stepped outside. She didn't move as he stepped down the porch and walked towards her with his hands in his pockets, looking as vulnerable as she felt.

She sat up when he got closer, but he stopped on the other side of the river and sat himself down with his legs crossed and his hands in his lap. She knew from what he'd already said, and his invitation into his home, that he wanted to make something of this imprinting situation but her mind was sixty miles west, with her own people.

Still, she could see that he was making an effort and she didn't want to seem ungrateful. She shifted back into human form and mirrored his position on her side of the river. If they stretched out their arms they could probably touch fingertips, but they were happy with the distance.

"You can come inside you know," he said glancing up at her from under his lashes.

She thought he looked very handsome, but kept that to herself. He was a vampire; they all looked ridiculously attractive. It wasn't like it was a big deal. "The..." she hesitated. "The smell is a bit overwhelming," she admitted sheepishly.

His eyebrows shot into his hairline. "Really?"

"Yeah... it's quite strong out here," she said screwing up her nose. "Never mind in there."

"I'm sorry."

She wanted to throw something at him. "Stop apologising for things you can't control."

He opened his mouth to apologise again, but instead just smiled and looked down at the water rushing between them. She wasn't used to seeing vampires with their guard down. She'd never actually had a conversation with one. Edward had never spoken to a werewolf before – he didn't even know where to start.

"How old are you?" Bella asked quickly, before the silence became too much.

"I was born in 1901 and changed in 1918 by Carlisle," he answered flatly.

"You're seventeen," she said looking him over critically. Even with only the dim lights from the house, she saw every freckle and strand of hair on his bare arms.

"What about you?" he asked, hoping the Makah Pack had a few things in common with the Quileute's.

"I was born in 1980. I first phased..." she had to cast her mind back. "A week or so before my nineteenth birthday."

He looked shocked as he, too, gave her a once over. She didn't look a day older than seventeen herself, other than her eyes. Her body held the youth her eyes bellied. "It must have been difficult being Alpha so young," he said kindly.

"I wasn't Alpha until three years later," she corrected him. He frowned, obviously realising that this was another difference between the two packs. She could see his mistake but didn't mind too much and smiled comfortingly. "We elect our own Pack Leaders," she said patiently. "I know the Quileute's go by blood superiority which is completely ridiculous," she said with a roll of her eyes.

"So they chose you for their Alpha," he clarified appreciatively. He could see the pride in her smile and the humility in her unspoken words. "You led them for twelve years."

She sighed as she unfolded her legs and dangled them over the embankment, just centimetres above the water. "Doesn't seem to make a difference now," she said with a shrug as she looked down at her dirty, holey shoes. A dunk in the river might do them good.

"They'll accept you back eventually though, right?" he asked.

She shrugged again. "There's stories of wolves imprinting on vampires, but none actually tried to develop it. Most of the stories depict the wolves imprinting mid-battle, and their imprints killing them. All the rest just say how the wolf kept it hidden and never phased again."

"None actually tried to... make anything of it," he said, being careful with his words. She shook her head.

"Apparently I'm a liability and, now that a vampire is my imprint, I can't be trusted to lead the pack against others of your kind," she said with a bite of bitterness. He had seen her fierce protectiveness as she savaged Sam and left him limping away with his tail between his legs and his insults long forgotten as he nursed his wounded pride.

She shook her head a little and sighed deeply before looking up at him. "It doesn't matter anyway." she said strongly.

Silence settled around them but it wasn't uncomfortable. After a few minutes of quiet smiles and hidden glances, Edward cleared his throat and said, "We have a few friends arriving in the next few days."

He watched her switch from normal to wolf mode in an instant. "How many?"

Was she wondering if she could take them in a fight?

"We're not sure of specific numbers," he hedged carefully. "Between five and twelve," he said, watching for her reaction. She kept whatever she was thinking to herself. "We thought about what you said about us not being ready-" he said quickly. "And we thought we might as well make our side as strong as possible."

She saw the logic in the plan and nodded in support of it. She didn't like the thought of more than ten vampires within a mile of her. "Do they all share your diet?"

"Five of them do," he said slowly.

The five that are a definite, she presumed.

"But we will insist that they hunt as far from the area as possible."

The thought of them _hunting _at all made her stomach turn, but she bit her tongue and kept it quiet because she was in vampire territory now and an argument could spark a bad situation.

Conversation turned to family, and Edward told Bella about his family and quietly apologised for anything she'd heard over the course of the day. "It's fine," she said easily. "I'm sure they'd like me to be as far from here as possible."

"They don't," he argued quickly. "They just... don't know you yet."

"Neither do you," she pointed out with a coy glance.

He shrugged off her words easily. "I know enough."

She took in his words and felt her lips lift in a small smile. He saw her cheeks turn pink and smiled to himself; a small victory. "So," he said a little louder. "Tell me about your family."

She rolled her eyes as she stretched her arms above her head. "Where do I start?" she said with a small laugh at herself. "My mother was a tourist who slept with my father as a one night stand before going back to wherever she came from. Nine months later she handed me over to my Grandpa and disappeared again – that's why I have white skin and everyone else is tanned," she pointed out with an unhappy look at her arm. "My Father was an Alpha. He was killed protecting the Tribe when I was seven – since then my Grandpa raised me."

"Do you want to know about your mother?" he asked curiously.

"Not really," she said honestly as she tucked her hands beneath her thighs. "I don't want to know anyone who would abandon their child to strangers."

He liked the way she spoke with such confidence, the way she knew who she was and what she thought without wavering an inch. "You love your Grandfather," he observed gently, and saw a kind smile fill her face.

"He's the best man I will ever meet," she said simply before her smile faltered. "I know Thomas will take care of him," she said quietly.

"Is he ill?"

"He's almost ninety," she said quietly. "His mind is fine, but he needs help getting around and cooking," she said with distant eyes. She never got to say goodbye, never got to explain her side of what had happened. She knew Thomas would speak the truth, and even if he didn't, her grandpa was smart enough to smell the bullshit the Council spewed out.

"Was it hard growing up?"

She mulled over the question before shaking her head. "I didn't really notice anything missing."

The conversation tapered off and they found themselves staring at one another. She couldn't help but remember their morning in the forest. She blushed furiously and looked away.

"I feel like I should apologise for what happened in the clearing," Edward said without looking away. "I shouldn't have reacted to what Sam was saying..."

"What was he saying?" she asked as she pulled her feet up and pulled her shoes and socks off, throwing them behind her as she dunked her feet into the water. The cold temperature didn't seem to bother her and she waited for him to reply.

"He started with my family... but moved on to you," he said, his mood growing dark at the memory.

"I can imagine," she said with a roll of her eyes. "Anyway, I can't blame you for moving a few inches – I was ready to rip him limb from limb," she said honestly, but she could see he wasn't casting it aside so easily.

"He couldn't decide whether he wanted to have sex with you or slit your throat."

That surprised her and she sat stunned for a few moments as his words sunk in. The mutual hatred had festered and grown an overwhelming degree. She'd never imagined anything more sprouting from it, but she supposed passion bred all sorts of things. The thought of doing anything other than fighting or screaming at Sam wasn't even an option.

He didn't like it. He didn't like the images that were flicking through his mind uncontrollably. He didn't like the anger he felt towards Bella. He didn't like the familiar burn of heat and lust that clouded his mind. He didn't like how much he wanted to _claim. _

He headed back inside after a short goodbye, and Bella was left to her own devices again. Admittedly, the thought of Sam lusting after her was amusing and worth a thought but nothing more. The combined forces of the two Tribe's would make them nigh unstoppable. Any children that they bore would consequently have the power of both Packs.

After thoughts of San lost their amusement and she was left alone with her thoughts again, the sadness crept back in. She hoped someone had checked in on her Grandpa and turned off the hob – he was forever leaving the gas on. He was her only regret. She knew the Pack were in good hands as long as Thomas was there. Lana was a mouthpiece for the Council, but as Beta he had the authority to question her decisions and she hoped he did every chance he got.

She missed her family, the feeling of solidarity and security. Out here, in the middle of Forks surrounded by vampires, she knew one slip and she was dead. There was no middle ground or safe zone.

Her mind turned to Edward and his swift departure. He could see how Sam had gotten to him, and honestly didn't blame him for what happened in the clearing. She found it almost impossible to hold her tongue when it came to the runt. She could see, even as he sat across from her, how it still angered him and wondered how strong the mating bond was in vampires.

She had expected much stronger emotions. She had felt those in her Pack imprinting, and for them it was like being shot in the head and the shrapnel piercing and contorting everything they once were into something completely knew. From the way they spoke, to how they thought changed and became invaded by this one person. She didn't feel overly attached to Edward as a person, though he seemed pleasant enough to talk to. She recalled the overwhelming instincts twice, when they'd savaged each other in the woods, and when she had attacked Sam.

Neither instances were brought from romantic gestures or acts of love. She acted as though he were an object to covet and protect, and a part of her was mildly ashamed and frightened that was all it would ever be. For all she knew, an imprint with a vampire was never meant to go any further. It was not a life she would ever want for herself. Cut off from her family, her Pack and everything she knew, the hope of Edward was the only shining beacon left. Without him, what did she have left?

* * *

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	4. Chapter 4

Her thoughts and worries plagued her all night and she got no more rest. Birds sang all around her, their morning calls and melodies making her feel even more melancholy. The Cullen's were very boring. They read books and spoke only sparingly to one another. They watched TV and wandered through the house. She pitied them, in a way.

The ground was wet with dew and she shook out her wet fur as she got to her feet. She wondered what another day would bring and dreaded the tedium she expected. Edward exited the back door and headed over to her some time later, his hands carrying a plate with warm buttered toast and a glass of orange.

She hadn't expected to be fed, especially not by vampires. The thought hadn't even crossed her mind, and she was left speechless as she returned to human form and he handed the plate and glass over to her with a small smile. "You have food?" was all she could think to say.

"Just in case we get visitors," Edward said with a small nod as they folded themselves on the floor again. This time he had crossed the small river and sat beside her, their backs against a tree and their legs laid out in front of them.

She scoffed as she took a mouthful of the orange juice. It was delicious, but, as she'd expected, everything was laced with the sickly bleach scent of the vampires. As much as she tried to hide it, he saw her expression of distaste. "Is it okay?"

None of them could tell if it had spoiled– perfectly good human food smelled like dirt and what they imagined sweaty socks to smell like. She shook her head as she swallowed the mouthful, but she the glass down beside her. She didn't want to be rude. "The scent..." she began with a wince. The taste was acrid and burning on her tongue. "Apparently gets everywhere."

He felt horrified, and could hear Esme's thoughts spiralling into discordance. She had hoped to get to know Bella by cooking and meal times. The knowledge that their food was disgusting, and borderline painful if her flinching was anything to go by, was somewhat disheartening. He opened his mouth to apologise but quickly closed it, recalling her response earlier that morning. "We'll figure something out," he assured her, taking the plate from her and setting it aside. "What does it smell like?" he asked curiously.

She swallowed thickly, hoping to get rid of the taste. "Imagine someone pouring bleach down your throat," she said candidly. "You've obviously marked out your territory in a three mile radius around the house."

He found himself impressed by her accuracy, but reminded himself that she was born to hunt and kill his kind. Before he could ask any more she flapped her hands around and said, "Don't worry about the food thing anyway – I can hunt for myself."

"You hunt?" he repeated in shock. She was so small and breakable. The thought of her taking down an elk or deer was unfathomable. She grinned at him knowingly.

"I'm half wolf – of course I hunt," she said with a roll of her eyes. "Obviously it's not as nice as chocolate cake or a pizza, but it's something," she said easily. She could see that her words were struggling to sink in. "Is it that much of a surprise. If I can kill a vampire, I think a few deer would be pretty easy."

They settled into an easy silence. She could see him from the corner of her eyes – staring up at the house with a frown marring his face, his lips pressed together with whatever thought was pestering him. She supposed, for a vampire, he was rather handsome. His skin was flawless alabaster and without a single blemish or bump.

"Are you okay?" he asked suddenly. His eyes bore into hers, bright gold and full of questions and sincerity. She wished she knew more about vampires.

"Sure," she said simply looking away.

He could see that she wasn't but he wanted her to be comfortable enough to tell him herself. Jasper had been keeping his attention on her since her arrival – as nervous as his family were to have a wolf just outside the back door. It didn't seem to matter that her hands didn't shake with uncontrollable rage and she wasn't itching to tear them apart just by looking at them. His brother had been tasked on keeping her in check, but thus far he'd felt only loneliness, sadness,worry... all of which were quite understandable in the circumstances.

"Bored," she admitted suddenly, looking back at him. "On the reservation there's always something to do. I patrol, I go to council meetings, I help the others fix the houses and buildings, we evaluate and strategise..." she said quickly, dropping her hands into her lap with a loud sigh. "Now there's nothing."

He wished he could offer her some tasks, but he doubted a few films or TV channels could occupy her. From the sounds of it, she spent most of her time active, on the move, developing and improving the things around her. There was no-one to protect, nothing to fix and nothing to talk about. "Our friends from Alaska will be here in a few hours," he offered lightly.

She laughed good humouredly and said, "I'm sure that will keep me busy."

He regarded her for a long moment before saying, "You're not what we expected."

She raised her eyebrows and said, "Should I be apologising?"

"No," Edward said with a small smile. "We're used to the Quileute's-" he said carefully. He saw her eyes narrow and hastened to explain himself. "They can barely look at a vampire without wanting to kill them," he said quickly.

Her scoff was filled with mirth and her eyes were guarded. "Because they're untrained, pathetic children with too much power."

He was cautious to tread the Quileute territory with her, obviously seeing how easily it riles her up still. "Why are you different to them?" he asked slowly.

She kept her eyes on the house ahead of them as she sucked on her tongue while mulling over her answer. In all truth, she was trying to find the simplest way of explaining. "The problem lies within the laws in our Tribes. In Neah Bay, we grow up hearing the legends and seeing the wolves protecting us. We are fully aware of everything. In La Push, everything is hidden and so, when a child turns into a wolf they're unprepared and clueless."

"So you prepare yourselves..." he assumed leadingly.

"It was assumed I would be a wolf, considering my father was the Alpha but it's never a certainty. With my mother being a Pale Skin it could have gone either way," she explained softly. "Most of the families on the reservation have had a wolf in their family at some point, but a direct descendant is more likely to be a wolf later in life. We get tested at nine-" she said and saw his eyes widen. "A wolf will start displaying signs as a child – a slightly raised temperature, being able to run a little too fast or hit a little too hard... and those who they believe will be wolves are pulled from school and trained."

He looked mildly taken aback by that snippet of information. "You didn't go to High School?"

Bella scoffed at the very thoughts. "The only TV and computers we have on the reservation are in the library – and they're like, fifteen years old," she said simply. "Knowing where Jupiter is won't help me protect my people."

He was flabbergasted. "Didn't you want to go to school?"

"I wanted to be a wolf," she told him strongly. "Kids who want to go to school and college are free to do so, but it isn't something that we really care about as a community."

Edward thought it was cruel, and in a way trapping the citizens into staying in the reservation. Bella had nothing, not a qualification or grade behind her. All she had was her Pack and her people and they'd turned their back on her. He felt terribly sad for her, and suddenly appreciated her civility and small smiles a lot more.

"Did you go to college?" she asked suddenly, pulling a blade of grass from the ground and tearing it expertly into tiny slivers.

"In 1918?" he said with a smile. "No. I had my heart set on heading out to war."

She glanced over at him with a strange expression. "Why?"

"Because I wanted to be a man. They always showed the posters of them smiling with girls hanging off their arms," he said, his eyes softening as he remembered those fuzzy distant memories. "My father was a well established lawyer and he hoped I'd take over his company when I was old enough."

A car pulled off the road and began crawling up the mile and a half long drive. They all heard it, and inside the house the Cullen's were preparing to welcome their guests. Edward kept his eyes on Bella. Though she didn't show any signs of aggression, he didn't miss how her shoulders tensed and the blades of grass fell forgotten to the ground as her hands flattened on the floor either side of her, ready to propel her to her feet.

"I'm going to go for a run," she said tersely before getting to her feet. She didn't doubt her control but she wasn't on neutral territory and wanted to regroup before she saw these new vampires. "Thanks for the food."

He smiled because he didn't think she was the sort to appreciate formalities. When he was back on his feet Bella handed over the glass with another apologetic smile, but it fell quickly. The car was fast approaching, and like a magnet repelling her, she felt the urge to run grow. He could see it in her eyes and, without another word, smiled a little broader and headed back towards the house. He didn't turn when he heard the quiet _hiss _of air, or feel the shift in the wind, not even when the gentle caress of paws touched the ground and then quickly departed into the woods. She took off in a sprint and Edward was left wondering how difficult to was for her to be so close.

Back in the house he threw away the juice and toast and left the plate and glass in the sink for later. He could already hear the thoughts of the Denali's and grimaced when he heard that Tanya's usual tirade had already begun. It was well known that she wanted him, but only in bed and nothing more – it wasn't something he was at all interested in. He respected her, called her a friend and enjoyed their conversations but that was as far as it went.

He indulged her harmless flirting because they all knew it would lead to nowhere.

He joined his family on the porch, pointedly ignoring the venomous thoughts of his blond sister, and the less than friendly ones of his other siblings. They saw a wolf, first and foremost. They saw an enemy, a girl who would and could kill them given the opportunity. He didn't see any of that – it was so secondary. She was a girl.

The silver car crawled out from the shadows of the woods and parked leisurely at the bottom of the porch. The doors flung open and there were cries of joy and hugs shared with broad smiles. It had been almost six years since their last visit. Rosalie gravitated towards Tanya, Kate and Irina naturally and he knew he would have to watch his back with his sister already pissed with him.

He stood back on the porch. His mind was elsewhere, propelling through the woods as fast as she could. He wished he could abandon his family and chase after her. He liked to run too, and hoped one day they could run together.

"Edward!" Tanya cried scoldingly as she hung her hands on her lips and glared mockingly at the bottom of the porch. "You haven't missed me?" she said, her blond hair shining magnificently even in the dull shine of Forks. She pushed out her lip in a pout, and her ethereal beauty was lost in her childish behaviour.

Rosalie scoffed and he tensed. "He's been far too busy with his new _pet."_

He growled warningly, glaring at his sister and daring her to take it any further. He could handle her distaste for Isabella. He could understand his families annoyance and reservations, but he would not tolerate mindless insults. "Pet?" Tanya repeated with a frown, looking between Rosalie and her brother in confusion. "Does it have anything to do with that God – awful smell?"

Her nose wrinkled delicately and Edward blinked, surprised. He hadn't smelled anything at all, but in front of him his family all nodded and murmured their agreement. "Edward has found his mate," Esme said with a sincere smile. She held the least against Bella and her thoughts were clear and pure when she gazed at her son with pride.

The Denali's all raised their eyebrows and their thoughts voiced their congratulations, but Tanya was busy thinking. It took her only a moment for her to put it together. "Your mate is one of those Quileute wolves?" she asked sceptically.

"Let's go inside," Carlisle suggested, his arm slung around Eleazors shoulders in a century old comradery. Inside, in the living room when everyone was seated and waiting impatiently, Edward found himself envying Bella and her freedoms.

"Judging from the lack of outrage, I'm going to assume my assumption was true," Tanya prompted, shrugging her jacket from her shoulders and laying it across her lap. She was, in truth, strikingly beautiful with large eyes and red lips. Her legs were long and lean and she knew how to use everything she had. Edward could remember, all those years ago, wishing he could just shed his morals and bed her.

"She isn't a Quileute," he corrected her softly. He had chosen to stand in the doorway – a quick and easy exit from the barrage he was about to receive. "She's from the Makah Reservation."

"But she still shifts into a gaint wolf?" Carmen clarified before tutting and glancing beside her, at Carlisle. "You should stay away from this place, Carlisle."

Carlisle laughed quietly and nodded his head in agreement, but his thoughts assured Edward that he hadn't meant to keep him from finding his mate. He knew how sensitive it could be. Carmen, whose long black hair and European looks were contrast to the Blond Denali sisters, turned her eyes to the front windows. "Where is she?"

"She thought it would be best to give us all some space," he said easily. He didn't know if it was true, but he knew she wanted space.

Carmen and Eleazar, who sat as a mated couple themselves, spoke their pleasure and happiness that Edward had finally found _her._

"Aren't those wolves savages?" Tanya asked in a bored tone. Edward could hear the worry in her mind – worry for him, worry for the safety of his family. She already didn't like Bella, simply because of what she was and it was wearing thin.

"The Makah wolves are different," Edward said with narrowing eyes. He'd considered Tanya a close friend, and hoped she would rise above her pride to feel happy for him. She merely hummed but she glanced to her sisters who all shared raised eyebrows and dismissing thoughts. They wanted to meet this wolf but Edward suddenly found the very idea abhorrent.

Carlisle shifted the conversation on to the up and coming battle. Hours slipped by and Edward had grown tired of the circling thoughts of Tanya and her sisters. They were fixated on this wolf and fiercely protective of Edward. He excused himself and headed upstairs. He considered heading out to find Bella – to warn her about what to expect, but didn't think she'd appreciate a vampire hunting her down.

Almost four hours after the Denali's arrived, they heard the soft footfalls approach. _She is very quiet, _Eleazar observed thoughtfully. It was yet another difference between her and Sam.

Outside, Bella waited. She had no idea what to expect or what was expected of her. She had formed something of a respectful bond with Carlisle during their initial meeting when she'd had her Pack at her back. She didn't feel comfortable or ready to shake hands with these new vampires. She stayed in her wolf form as she sighed and folded herself down on the floor, laying on her stomach with her large head resting on her front paws.

She could hear them inside – whispering and talking about her. They described the colour of her fur as _bland _and thought was _small and measly. _Such comments, though aggravating her, were easily amended with a quick display of her abilities and she did her best to shake them off. There was a meeting that night.

Edward was out the back door and crossing the back garden after only a few minutes of her return – his expression only made her feel more anxious. He didn't speak immediately and she wondered whether he felt awkward trying to converse with a wolf. Taking pity on him, she phased back into her human form, landing back on two legs and looking at him with her own trepidation shining in her eyes.

Judgement lay around every corner.

"They'd like to meet you," he said quietly. She heard the question in his silence and her ability to say no. He had no smile of encouragement. She trusted in her abilities and was confident enough in her control to nod her head and go against every instinct to flee.

"Okay."

He didn't move, but she saw a vampire appear in the back door of the house. A small woman with long black hair stood smiling at her. She had identical golden eyes as the Cullen's and a kindness in her face that reminded Bella of Carlisle. She moved at a human pace – slow and patient as she made her way down the garden and leaped across the river.

The two women regarded one another with caution. Bella felt no hostility and, with a small smile and charm that knocked Edward off his perch of fear, stepped forward with her hand extended. Carmen clasped her hand with a broadening grin of her own, and they shook hands like business partners sharing a deep dark secret. "I am so glad he finally found you," Carmen said, her words rolling in her Spanish accent. "He has waited for so long."

If he could blush, he'd be beet red but instead all he could do was put his hands in his pockets and clear his throat awkwardly. "Thanks Carmen."

Bella could see the affection in those golden eyes as she gazed at Edward.

_Family._

She recalled what Carlisle had called his family. She could see it.

Their hands dropped and the vampire turned in time for a second vampire to cross the garden. He moved at his usual vampire speed but it didn't seem to bother Bella. His smile was genuine and crinkled his eyes, and they also shook hands.

"You... are very strange," he said after introducing himself.

Their hands fell and Bella wasn't quite sure what to say. She didn't know what they'd already been told so turned her eyes on Edward, who seemed to have recovered from his previous embarrassment. "Eleazar can sense people's abilities," he clarified.

"I'm not a vampire," Bella said softly. He could hear the change in her voice, could see that her body language was relaxed and off guard. She was screaming peace in their faces, and having conversations with his _cousins._

"Vampire's with abilities usually display some of that while human," Eleazar explained kindly.

"I was pretty good at reading people as a human," Edward offered.

Bella nodded and turned her eyes to Eleazar. "Why am I strange?"

A small grin lifted the corner of his mouth. "Because I can't feel anything from you at all. It's like you're not there," he said before casting his eyes to Edward. "Is it the same for you?"

Edward nodded and Carmen giggled behind her hand. "Oh Edward..."

Bella was clueless. "What are you talking about?"

Her eyes were on Edward and he realised, in the middle of everything he hadn't even told her the most basic things about himself. "I can read minds."

Her eyes narrowed accusingly.

"But like I said – it's like you're not there."

She was confused and didn't like being on the back foot while staring down three vampires. "A shield?" Edward asked with his head tilted to the left a little. "It makes sense."

"No it doesn't," Bella interrupted, annoyance colouring her tone.

"When you were Alpha, I couldn't hear any thoughts from your Pack. I thought it was another thing different between you and the Quileute's. But when... you stepped down," he said carefully. "I could hear them all besides yours."

She was still stuck on the fact he could read people's minds.

Three exited the back door and she felt Edward stiffen beside her. She eyed them warily. Three tall, leggy blondes approached, all wearing low shirts and high skirts. Of course they were gorgeous with their cheek bones and skin, but their eyes were another matter. Narrowed in anger or defence, Bella wasn't sure, but it was a far cry from the warm smiles from Carmen and Eleazar.

"Bella," Edward said as they crossed the river. Carmen and Eleazar stepped to one side, but Bella didn't miss the worried look that bounced between them. She felt Edward's hand on the small of her back, his icy touch making her want to shiver but in the eyes of the three vampires she hid any and all weakness. Her smile was gone.

She'd always thought she'd been good at reading people, like Edward had been. She could see if they were looking for trouble or just curious. She could tell if they were hostile or just passing through. These three were hostile and it rolled off them in waves.

"This is Tanya, Irina and Kate," he said with a hard stare at each of them. Their gazes were roving and probing as they looked at Bella. She was too small, too skinny, to brunette, too dirty, too hard... he wasn't surprised. They embraced the bitch stereotype wholeheartedly.

"Bella," Irina said, her arms folded across her chest. There were no hand shakes or warm greetings from either side. The pair looked at one another but said nothing. Bella didn't want to escalate the situation, but what the situation was, she didn't know. As far as she knew, she'd never met or run into this coven before.

"So you're Edward's mate," Tanya said as she stood front and centre flanked by her sisters.

Bella didn't respond and Edward felt Tanya's ire spike. Bella didn't feel the need to repeat information that she was sure they'd already heard. "I weren't aware you were into bestiality, Edward," she said innocently as she turned those beautiful eyes on the man at Bella's side.

"Stop, Tanya," he said in a harsh tone. "Bella hasn't done anything wrong."

The blond laughed suddenly and loudly and Bella thought she looked rather ridiculous. She knew vampires had a penchant for dramatics, but she was really going for it. "So you've already fucked each other?"

Amusement gave way to annoyance. Sex wasn't something so casually talked about, or thrown in someone's face. It was between two partners and no-one else. It shook Bella to hear it thrown into a conversation so carelessly. Tanya waited only a second before adding, "Be sure to scrub up before it's my turn later," with a simpering smile and coy wink at Edward.

She knew it was supposed to rile her, that it was all so stupid and yet those damn instincts were rising once again. The thought of Edward with this blond _bitch _was nauseating and, as if struck by a rock in the head, she wondered whether it had already happened. It would explain the whole charade that was unfolding in front of her.

She decided it didn't matter.

Well, it did but there was nothing she could do about it. The difference is he was hers now, and Tanya was going to keep her claws away from him. Only a moment had passed and all eyes were on Bella – waiting for a response, for her to smile and hurl some abuse her way or lash out. She'd spent the last fifteen years of her life in the minds of bitchy, hormonal females and she knew how they worked.

The worst punishment was silence.

So she met the eyes of Tanya, stood her ground and just waited. Without a retort she had nothing to work with, and Tanya was beginning to look nothing more than a petulant playground bully. A voice beckoned them inside and Tanya is the one to walk away, her coven hissing and whispering as they disappeared back inside the house.

Bella wanted to exhale but they were still within hearing range and just looked at her shoes and rolled her shoulders, trying to release some of the tension that had built. "I'm so sorry about them," Edward began quietly.

"It's fine," Bella dismissed, turning from him and walking into the forest.

"No it's not," Edward insisted as he followed her. Her steps were slow and plotless, not fleeing and angry. She wouldn't meet his eyes and it worried him. "They were rude."

Bella barked out a laugh but still said nothing. They went deeper and deeper into the woods, walking at a slow mundane human pace. Sometimes Bella liked slowing down.

They walked in companionable silence for a few minutes until the smell of vampires was all but gone and the house was beyond their hearing. "You handled it pretty well," he offered.

"I'm used to bitches," she said shortly before sighing. She knew she was being rude and she'd been raised better. "Have you and Tanya..." she trailed away. She'd never asked such a personal question before and felt her face flame. "You know."

"No," he said firmly. "Not for lack of trying on her part though," he added wryly. "I think she's just upset because you've accomplished in a few days what she tried more than seventy years to do."

His words were right but it didn't shift the weight pressing on her mind. The trees become thicker and closer together, blocking out most of the light and leaving them in shadows. "Does it annoy you that you can't hear my thoughts."

She heard his deep laugh beside her and found herself smiling as she watched him. "It just makes you more interesting," he said looking over at her with a depth in his eyes that captured her gaze. For the first time in her life, a man had left her speechless for the right reasons. She looked away, realising she was staring and found herself blushing.

They lapsed into silence again but he could see her struggling with something. Finally, when they found the river again, she said, "I don't like the way she spoke to you."

The river bent and curved to the right, heading down and further into the forest. They must have been six miles from the house. "That's just Tanya," he said with a heavy sigh. His words didn't help and he saw her face drop into a scowl before she pushed forward and left him watching her back. "What do you want me to do?"

His words seemed to strike a nerve and she spun with a fire in her eyes. "I don't know!" she cried, throwing her hands in the air. "You were ready to spark a war when Sam thought about sleeping with me – how do you think I feel, having to stand there and watch her talk about-" she stopped and turned, angry with herself for her outburst and just frustrated through and through.

Her words struck him. He hadn't considered his own reaction but he remembered how infuriated he was, how he was more than willing to abandon reason to stop those images invading his mind. He understood. "You have much better control than I do."

She shook her head and turned to look at him with the most sad, defeated expression. "What the hell are we trying to do, Edward?"

There had been no promises or declarations. They hadn't even spoken about the future or how any of it was going to work. Everything had happened too fast and living in the moment was much easier than looking into the murky future. "You are my mate," he said strongly, going to her side and taking her hand in his. It felt forced but right. She didn't pull away but looked at their hands as he pulled them up in front of them. "We can make this work."

"We don't even like each other," she whispered.

"I like you," he argued with an open heart.

She floundered for a while but with her hands clasped in his, she had no escape route. "I... I like you too, but it's not like _that."_

_Not yet, _Edward thought.

It seemed so ridiculous, so foreign but he could easy find himself falling in love with this girl. It hadn't been the romance he'd imagined, not by a long shot but this was what he had and he was not going to let it go. "Just see where it goes."

Her eyes fell to the ground and he struggled to keep up with her. "I'd give anything to know what you're thinking," he admitted quietly. When she glanced up, looking so open and vulnerable he knew this girl would snatch his heart and he would have no say.

"I don't want to go back to that house," she voiced in a voice barely above a whisper.

"Neither do I," he said running a hand through his hair. "We should just... hang out."

She giggled and he smiled at the sound. "Like... a _date?"_

"Why not? I think instinct has got us this far," he said, weaving his fingers through hers and giving a tentative squeeze. Her heat and his ice. "I think we have to make an effort."

They headed into town. Hand in hand, he led her across the roads and towards the little diner. It was only half filled which was as good as it got in Forks. Most of the men wore plaid shirts and ball caps and all eyes swung to the couple as they walked inside.

New people were few and far between.

They sat at a table next to the windows. Bella couldn't help but grin wolfishly as she grabbed the menu and hid behind it. "I can't believe we're doing this," she said with a giggle, still hiding. She was thirty five years old, but felt like a teenager again. Her heart beat hard in her chest and she felt... free.

"Never been on a date?" he asked, staring at the menu and willing her to lower it. Her facial expressions were the only way he had any inkling as to her thoughts.

"I'm practically a guy," she scoffed and lowered the menu setting it back in the small wooden holder next to the salt and pepper shakers.

"I can personally vouch for the fact that you are not," he said with a growing smirk and a light in his eyes.

She blushed at the memory.

"So you've never had a boyfriend?" he pushed, but before Bella could answer the waitress sauntered over and flicked her lashes at Edward and asked if he wanted anything. He didn't like that she ignored Bella completely, but with fantastic poise, Bella cleared her throat and read her order very loudly. The waitress had the decency to blush and mumble a quiet apology before scampering away into the kitchen, demanding someone else serve table 5.

"I was a very intense child," she said thoughtfully. "After my dad died my whole life became dedicated to being the best wolf, and one day being Alpha," she said in a small voice. "I never cared about boys. I saw them as pointless distractions."

"Well you got Alpha," he pointed out. "I'm sure there were plenty of offers."

She laughed, loudly and without any thought to the people around her. "I terrified them!" she said with a very unlady-like snort. He'd always imagined himself with a demure, quiet, respectful girl but Bella was so loud and herself, it was proving difficult to find a fault with her. Even her border-line rude laughter and tatty, dirt-smeared clothes didn't bother him. He loved that she didn't care what she looked like, that she could stare Tanya in the eyes without flinching while charming over Carmen and Eleazar. "You should have seen me! If anyone tried to talk to me I'd just scream at them to leave me alone."

"Can I ask you about your Father?"

"Of course," she replied easily.

"Do miss him?"

She paused and he was immediately curious. Most people wouldn't hesitate on such an emotive question. "It's difficult..." she said with a frown. "I loved him. He was my Father but I didn't know him as a man. He was an Alpha, a peace keeper, a council leader, and then a Father. My Grandpa practically raised me..."

"It must have been difficult for him to just suddenly find out he's a father."

She sighed. "I don't think he ever really came to terms with it. But he took me in – he could have been cruel or just put me in the sea."

Bella's omelette arrived, brought by a broad, stern faced woman in her late forties who looked about as happy as a coaster. "Tell me about your family," she asked as she douses the omelette with salt. "Your current one," she clarified as she picked up her knife and fork that lay to the left of her plate.

"Carlisle was the first – he was changed in 1663 by a passing vampire," he began in a quiet hushed voice. They were both aware that eyes were on them, but the general chit chat and too and fro of people shielded them from too much investigation. She ate and he spoke. He told her about his parents contracting the flu, and then Carlisle changing him when he was minutes from death. He told her about Esme and Rosalie, though he was mindful not to say too much. He didn't feel right disclosing such personal information about his family, but gave a brief overview.

The waitress came over and set a basket of fries on the table, along with a large glass of cola. Bella ate quickly and messily, finishing with salt and ketchup all over her lips and cheek. She wiped it away with a napkin and lifted her glass to her lips. Three quarters of the liquid was gone in a few moments and Edward couldn't help but chuckle at her appetite. "Still hungry?"

"Famished," she said, leaning back in the booth. The cheap red leather squeaked with her movements. She looked serene as she shut her eyes and took a deep breath, free as she was from the Cullen's watchful eyes and gagging scent. He waved the second waitress over, and she huffed and glared as she weaved her way passed the usual patrons sat at the bar. There was only one other man sitting to eat, and he was sat staring out of the window bemoaning his new divorcee status.

"Four omelettes please," he said smoothly. "And two glasses of Cola," he added as Bella finished the first and smacked her lips loudly. The waitress wrote the order down on her little notebook, grunted and then wandered back past the bar and disappeared into the kitchen.

"I've seen more of the Denali's than of your coven," she said as she set her knife and fork down on her empty plate.

"They..." Edward began with a hand through his hair. "They don't trust you yet."

This was no news to Bella, but she still felt affronted.

They talked about the house and where the family had lived previously while Bella devoured her four omelettes. She sat back with a quiet groan, her stomach feeling bloated. It had been too long since she'd felt so full.

"We should head back," Edward said looking out the window. The parking lot had only three trucks parked up, but it was the dimming sun that had him hurrying. "We have the meeting in a few hours."

Nodding, she slid from the booth and Edward paid with his little card. This sleepy little town seemed to have been dropped in the middle of the forest and left to fend for itself. It was no wonder the Cullen's liked it so much. Twenty foot from the diner sat woods.

They headed home a little faster than earlier. "Will you join us?"

Bella scoffed. "I don't think that's a good idea somehow," she said with dry humour. "No-one in that clearing is my ally right now."

Edward wanted to defend his family but there was nothing he could say.

The smell of vampires wafted towards them and Bella grimaced. The fresh air had been beautiful. She was tempted to set up camp right there – close enough to hear and protect, but not close enough to gag and vomit from the stench. She shook the idea from her head. She wouldn't leave Edward so close to Tanya.

She was a threat of a different kind.

They walked in silence but it was nice. Too much had happened in the past week. It was nice to just stop and _be._

They were almost three miles from the house when she heard it. Her steps faltered, head whipping to the side as she stiffened. Edward, who hadn't heard anything, stilled himself. "What is it?" he asked in a whisper.

She heard them – clean, light steps heading right past them, heading straight for the Cullen house. Three sets weaved through the trees, jumping and pounding the ground with every step. They were too fast for normal vampires. "Newborns," she said in a hiss before promptly phasing into a wolf. Edward jumped away quickly as she landed on all fours. There was no hesitation as she took off east. He followed behind.

She was fast – faster, even, that him and lithe as she bounded this way and that. Her paws made hardly any sound, her fur only brushing softly against the trees and bushes. She was nothing like the bumbling, aggressive chases of the Quileute's who fell entire trees and whose paws alerted everything in a two mile radius of their impending approach. He was impressed.

He strained his ears but didn't hear anything. He followed Bella's lead- keeping his distance in case her instincts were surfacing. She twisted left suddenly and propelled herself through the forest, leaving Edward struggling to keep up. He heard them then – the soft footfalls, the soft exhalation, the muted, fuzzy, instinct driven thoughts.

_Newborns._

He wanted to call out to Bella but they couldn't communicate. Instead he pulled his phone from his pocket and called Carlisle, who picked up on the second ring. _"Newborns are heading for the house," _Edward said quickly. _"We're right behind them."_

The call ended. He came closer and closer to the newborns until he were side by side with them and when he looked to the left, he could see them. Two men and one thick set woman snarling, their crimson eyes swirling with the urge to destroy and kill. He could see their skin spattered with scars of bites.

Without warning, Bella who was far ahead of him turned and headed straight into their path. He wanted to scream or yank her back but instead followed her as quickly as he could. She landed perfectly, her head bent low as her breathes heaved from her open mouth. The newborns were upon her in a matter of seconds but they stopped in their tracks, as if only seeing her for the first time.

Bella snarled loudly and Edward stopped at her side releasing a snarl of his own. Their eyes flicked to Edward and they all crouched low – their eyes darkening to a dreaded black as venom flew from their lips. He could see in their minds – their aim was Cullen's, not wolves. They wanted vampires.

_Fuck._

* * *

Let me know what you guys are thinking!


	5. Chapter 5

He knew theory, as Bella had pointed out. He was not ready to deal with three newborns.

Thankfully his mind reading left him ready when all three moved. They headed straight for Edward, head on as Jasper had predicted. He was right – their minds were a haze of instinct and thirst, not a plan or plot in sight. Bella lunged after the woman closest. She flew through the air, feeling her teeth clamp down on her arm and drag her from Edward and the others. They landed heavily and the woman began clawing and trying to bite anything she could as Bella pinned her with her weight.

There was no humanity in those eyes. Nails tore through flesh and blood dripped through her fur, stinging and making her instincts to defend pique. The woman was strong, holding her at arms length as Bella's jaw snapped in front of her. It was a matter of time -as a newborn she was easily distracted, and when she heard the fast steps of the Cullen's Bella saw her moment.

A sound of rock on rock shot through the woods as Bella lunged forward, the woman's arms pinned to her chest as her teeth sank into the rank flesh of her neck and she tore. The body fell limp and Bella didn't waste time looking as she spat the head to the floor. Edward had managed to fend two of them off.

He stood, a wound on his arm gushing clear liquid. The smell of his venom filled the clearing and the sight of him injured made her feel rabid. The two men were fast but their moves were predicted and dodged every time. Edward's eyes were pitch black, either with pain or fury, but his arm was weakening him.

The Cullen's were a mile out.

Bella growled and one of the men turned to look. She had hoped to distract them both to give Edward ample opportunity to dispose of them. One was better than two. The vampire ran for her, eyes wild and hands groping for flesh to tare and destroy. She recalled what Jasper had taught her and swung around at the last second, leaving him with his back exposed to her.

She kept tabs on Edward. The sound of rock on rock echoed throughout the woods and she had to look – she had to know. Edward stood, breathing heavily, growling under his breath as he glared at her. The beheaded vampire lay at his feet, his removed head cast across the forest floor mindlessly.

One left.

But he had grown fearful and Bella's weakness was enough to give him the chance. Glancing behind him, he shot into the woods. Cursing and spitting to herself she took off after him, with Edward right behind her. She felt the savage burning. The woman had managed to take a chunk of her hind leg and the smell of her own blood was pungent, staining the ground with every step. Her leg felt weak, as if it would collapse if she applied too much weight but she powered on.

The Cullen's and Denali's had joined the chase only half a mile behind. She expected Edward to drop back but he caught up and they ran side by side, not looking at one another. They didn't need to. He was her Pack, and in that moment she would put her life in his hands.

This vampire was fast. His long legs were strong and he flew with disheartening speed but Edward had gotten in a hit of his own. His thigh spewed venom. The forest was painted in it. Edward knew the longer he ran the slower he would become, and it was only a matter of time before he tired.

The trees began to thin and they were heading for Forks. They had nine miles left before they hit civilisation. She didn't how, but she pushed faster. She felt her leg shaking and swallowed the biting pain. Up ahead the vampire was slowing and Bella cut right – leaving Edward taking up the rear as she circled on ahead. He couldn't reach civilisation.

With that mantra chanting through her head she pushed herself, ignoring the burning in her lungs and the limping pain in her leg. The people of Forks weren't like the people in Neah Bay. They had no warning call, no protections to run to. If he were to get to Forks the devastation would be massive. She refused to have that blood on her hands.

The vampire looked at her as they ran side by side. The fire was gone, replaced by fear as he looked at her. He slowed even further and she circled round and ended up in front of him. She stopped and turned – the same tactic she'd done to catch all three of them. This time she didn't snarl or growl, but stood ready as he approached. His eyes were wide with terror as he looked at her. He'd probably never even heard of wolves that could kill his kind.

Edward wasn't far behind, and he too did nothing but stand guard as the others caught up. He knew. This vampire knew his life was done. He knew it in the thirteen enemies that surrounded him. He was not going to escape but his aim remained solid.

_Take out as many as you can._

He'd thus far managed a meagre slice to an arm. The Cullen's and Denali's were fast to surround the vampire, standing side by side with Bella. He looked helpless, glancing around at the golden and black eyes. Edward stood a little inside the circle, his mind buzzing with the urge to dismember and kill. Vampires did not take attacks lightly. From over the vampires shoulder, Edward locked eyes with Bella and she dipped her chin just a little.

"Why are you here?" Edward said sharply, in such a hard, savage voice that even Bella was a little taken aback. "Speak!" he cried.

But the vampire didn't speak. With the speed and strength only a newborn can muster, he lunged for Edward. He should have seen it, but he didn't and it was too late. He felt teeth sink into his neck, hands on his shoulder, the panic filled thoughts of his family. It was less than a second – even before vampires reaction time had a chance to kick in. He was on his knees, eyes shut, feeling the burn of the venom from the bite on his neck and the strain of tearing skin as his neck was twisted to the right.

And suddenly it was gone and the relief was immediate and overwhelming.

It was a mess of venom and blood – of snarls and claws and teeth. Both wolf and vampire were injured. They rolled on the floor, kicking and snarling and clawing. She felt wounds and cuts everywhere on her body as blood oozed over her skin, warm and sticky. It was what she wanted.

She leaped to her feet, crouching low as she stood between Edward and the newborn. He was too close and too focussed on Bella and her teeth to even notice when Rosalie grabbed him, or when Emmett ripped his head from his shoulders with a sharp twist.

The newborn crumpled on the ground, lifeless and unmoving. Her injuries were bad, but not the worst she'd ever had. Most of them were just surface wounds and would heal within the hour, but every step caused her agony as she turned and made her way back to Edward. He remained on the ground, sat back on his knees with Carlisle and Alice kneeling at his side. His arm was weeping profusely and his blue shirt was already soaked with his venom. His arm hung at an awkward angle from the sleeve and there was a terrifying _tear _in the skin of his neck. She wanted to vomit.

"Thank you," Alice said with so much emotion that it momentarily shocked Bella out of her hazy stupor. She didn't care about them. Her eyes were only for Edward, broken and injured on the ground. He looked up with eyes filled with pain, and smiled so faintly and so sincerely he may as well have told a cheesy one liner.

"Not the ending I'd imagined," he said quietly, referring to their date.

His voice was strained and revealed his pain. It was difficult to hear. With hands under his arms, Carlisle and Alice pulled him to his feet. His eyes never left Bella, and widened as he saw her blood soaked fur. "Shit," he breathed, stepping from his family towards Bella. Her eyes were soft. "Are you okay."

She dipped her head but there was a deep gash on her flank, dozens of parallel claw marks down her back and the wound on her back leg. She couldn't have been okay. She was in pain, but was hiding it and he knew why. He knew why she was stood proud and strong, and it had everything to do with the twelve eyes staring at them.

Her face was speckled with blood, and there was a small cut just beneath her eye that had already stopped bleeding and had begun to scab over. He wanted to comfort her but he didn't know how.

"You need to hunt," Carlisle said. He wanted to give the two their privacy but Edward was still injured and he wanted to ask Isabella if he could take a look at her injuries.

"You saved my life," Edward breathed quietly, ignoring Carlisle completely.

It was in her job description now.

"Thank you."

All of his siblings, along with Tanya, Irina and Kate accompanied him to hunt. They'd all agreed not to leave anyone on their own in case another group of newborns traipsed through the area. Carmen returned to the house and came back, lighter in hand, to burn the remains of the vampires. Esme, Carlisle and Eleazar accompanied Bella as she returned to the house. It was silent and heavy and all she wanted to do was lay down and sleep.

As the house came into view she slowed and allowed the vampires to go on ahead. She was surprised to find Carlisle stood on her side of the river waiting for her. She was hesitant but he had already earned her respect.

"I was wondering if you'd let me check you over," he began as he walked towards him. She was a magnificent creature, standing at least nine foot. It was difficult not to be intimidated by her sheer size. Her eyes tightened at his offer but, in the next moment, the air sparked and she stood before him. On her small, human body her clothes hung from her in rags and the injuries looked much worse. He saw how pale she was.

"I'll heal in about an hour," she said in a hard voice. It was easier to hide pain as a wolf – she didn't really have a huge array of facial expressions. "I'll be fine."

"You saved my son," Carlisle said, emotion colouring his voice so thoroughly his words were almost lost among them.

"He is my imprint," Bella said softly as she stood in front of the man. Her shirt was hanging halfway down her body, her trousers ripped and shredded in pieces. "I would die for him."

As uncomfortable as she was, and with as much pain as she felt, she saw that this was building bridges between them. When he offered to look her over, she agreed against her better judgement. His hands were like ice on her skin but felt soothing against the burning wounds on her skin.

Her back was mangled and a complete mess. Her skin was caked with blood, thick and dry. Her hair, which hung down the middle of her back, was stuck to her skin from the shoulders. Had she been human she would have died from blood loss. She would have fainted from the pain, but the adrenaline had long since gone and she still stood in front of him, calm as he examined her.

"We'll try and get you some clothes that won't smell of us," he said as he stepped away.

He felt like a demon, leaving her outside with a storm rolling in, bleeding and injured. He wanted to offer her a bath, stitches, a hot meal and a bed. With another soft _thank you, _he headed back into the house, insisting she ask for anything she needed or wanted.

She knew she would never ask for anything.

She felt dreadful. Every muscle ached and when she moved, her skin pulled and flexed and she felt her wounds re-open again. She was slick with sweat and blood and her eyes went to the river flowing in front of her. She didn't allow herself to think, and crouched on the bank and slid into the water. It was only waist high but she felt every muscle in her body trembling and screaming in pain as the water barraged her open wounds.

She lowered herself into the water and watched her blood swirl away from her. The river ran red as she lay on her back, ignoring the pain and clenching her eyes shut. She wished she had shampoo and soap and, as if she'd heard her request, a small vampire quickly exited the back door of the house and was quickly in front of her.

Like everyone else, she looked so emotional that Bella didn't know what to say. "We thought you might like to get cleaned up," was all she said as she sat two bottles on the bank of the river as well as a small pile of clothing, watching the red water flow away from them.

"Thank you."

The little woman nodded, bit her lip and retreated back inside the house. Bella spent only a little time washing her hair and body. The water wasn't helping the pain at all, but she did feel so much better without the tacky dirt covering every inch of her skin. Nudity wasn't something that bothered her and she threw the ruined clothes aside and pulled on the fresh ones.

They were brand new; the only traces of vampire on them were small patches of light stench from where the vampire had held them. They felt so soft and nice against her skin. She was dry within a minute of getting out of the river, and with her stomach still full from the omelette's this morning, her body drained and feeling as comfortable as ever, she found herself falling asleep right there out in the open, on the bank of the river.

–

As injured as he was, and as much as he needed to hunt, the need to see, to touch Bella was far stronger. For the sake of his family, he drained two deer that they had fetched to him but he refused a third and forth. Bella had been wounded much worse than he had. That amount of blood should have had her on the ground.

"Carlisle says she's fine," Alice argued as they tried to keep him down. She'd been on the phone to their father purely to humour Edward. They'd found a small clearing and he had been sat down and guarded by the others as Emmett, Tanya and Kate hunted on his behalf. "You need to eat."

"I have," he snapped back. He didn't like being so far from her, not when she was weakened. What if another wave of newborns attacked? "I'm already healed," he said a softer voice as his sister flinched from him. He knew she cared for him, they all did but they stood between him and Bella.

"Not fully," she argued quietly.

They couldn't force him to drink, and so headed back to the house. His arm, which had previously been almost severed, was now almost fully re-attached. He no longer had to support it against his body, but it still twinged and ached when he moved. His neck had completely healed without fault and all he wanted to do was get back home.

The sky was full of black smoke and the forest grew cloudy and dense with the stench of burning vampires. Carmen met them on their return to the house. Edward tried not to see the blood that stained the grass and trees, but it was impossible. It smelled like _her _and drew his eye without effort.

They arrived at the house from the east and eyes were drawn to the small human laid sleeping next to the river. Edward was pleased to hear the tone of thoughts had changed dramatically. He said nothing as he broke off from his family and headed over to her. He was surprised she hadn't already stirred with so many vampires so close by, but she slept on quietly. He realised, somewhat belatedly, that he had never seen or so relaxed in her human skin.

He could smell the shampoo, see that her hair was shining and curling around her face that was free from dirt and grime. She was beautiful. All of her wounds on her wolf body had transformed onto her human one and he could see them in Carlisle's mind. He could see her back, destroyed and torn brutally right down to the muscle. Now, the cut beneath her eye was nothing more than a thick red line. Her leg, which had previously had skin and muscle torn away, was angry, red and there the skin was mottled and scabby, but almost healed.

New clothes covered her body – blue jeans that hugged everything above her knee, and a white shirt that was too low to be a coincidence. He reminded himself to thank Alice later.

He sat against a tree with his eyes shut, feeling his skin slowly knitting back together. He listened to her quiet breathes and the occasional twitch of a finger as it brushed against the ground. He'd never imagined it to be comfortable to sleep on the ground, but Bella was breaking everything he'd ever assumed.

It was almost six and the family were preparing the Denali's on what to expect from the Quileute and Makah Tribes. Questions were raised about Bella.

"Why isn't she with her Tribe?" Carmen asked, not unkindly.

Edward could hear them, but he trusted Carlisle to give Bella the respect she deserved. "When her council found out about Edward they demoted her from Alpha. The Alpha of the Quileute's provoked Edward, and Isabella stepped in to protect him. There was a fight -" he said with an edge, remembering the blood and fur flying. "If she stayed with the Tribe, she would be trapped in her human form and removed from the Pack completely, forbidden from ever seeing Edward. She chose to leave, and we offered her a place with us."

"And she stays outside?" Tanya asked with a scoff in her voice.

"Our scent is physically painful for her," Esme explained quietly.

Edward chose not to listen to Tanya. He found his patience was especially thin. After only an hour or so of sleeping, Bella woke slowly.

She peeled her eyes open, stretched her fingers, arms and then legs, taking of note of what hurt and stung. Thankfully the pain had been reduced to a slow, weak throb in her leg and a twinge from her back. She heard the voices of vampires in the house and wondered how she'd missed their arrival.

"Good morning," Edward said with a smirk. She looked round at him. She hadn't even noticed him sat there watching her. Her face flushed red as she sat up, covering a yawn with the back of her hand.

"How are you feeling?" she asked as she peered over at him.

"Much better," he said with a small smile. "Almost fully healed. How about you? You look much better."

She narrowed her eyes at the insinuation. "Mostly healed, and _thank you."_

He wanted to roll his eyes but he had no energy to argue with her. He hadn't meant to insult her at all. "You'd look beautiful covered in slime."

She didn't know what to say. She'd never been called beautiful before. She'd never thought of herself that way. This was just the way she looked. Being dirty was just a part of being a wolf.

"Alice and Emmett are staying behind for the meeting," Edward said after the silence stretched a little too thin. "We should probably stay together in case they come again."

Bella nodded but words seemed to have deserted her. The river was gentle and clear once again, but there was a sadness in her mind that plagued her. She remembered seeing him on the ground on his knees, eyes shut ready to accept death. His fight had been feeble at best. It made her angry and it bubbled beneath her skin as she pulled her knees up to her chest and hugged them.

"What's wrong?"

She said nothing. She didn't think it was appropriate to scold someone after they'd almost been killed. She was angry for his weakness. She was angry that, without her, his family would have stood by and watched his death. They were too human, all of them wrapped in the need to not be monsters and devils. It infuriated her that in a moment, her life would have been crushed and he didn't see it. None of them saw it.

"Talk to me."

"You don't want to know what I'm thinking this time," she said in a deep, calm voice that screamed contained fury. Edward didn't know whether to poke the proverbial sleeping dragon or let it rest.

"Tell me."

"You should go to the meeting," she said dismissively.

"I'm staying behind with Alice and Emmett," he said quickly. It had already been decided that he shouldn't be around Sam just yet and with him not one hundred percent, he didn't want to risk facing them. This news did nothing to earn him his answer, and Bella turned and looked away from him. He didn't have a clue why she'd be angry with him.

The others took off to meet the wolves while Edward waited impatiently for Bella to talk to explain what was going on inside her head. Emmett thought it was hilarious that his brother found the one female on the planet he couldn't _hear, _and there was nothing he could do about it. Bella did feel better with Tanya and the most of the Cullen's out of earshot. She was used to her every word and thought being heard, but not judged and dissected.

"I'm sorry," she said after an hour of silence.

Edward exhaled a breath he wasn't aware he was holding. "Why?"

She laughed humourlessly. "I was on the verge of screaming at you earlier."

This was news to Edward, whose eyebrows retreated somewhere near his hairline. She kept her emotions in check and hidden very well. He knew how sensitive females could be after living with Rosalie, Alice and Esme. He knew that, when in a sour mood, their minds would snap and grip at anything that mildly irritated them. Thus far Bella had defied every expectation. "Why?"

She screwed her face up and sighed before shuffling over, closing the five foot distance between them, and sitting herself right in front of him. Their knees touched. "You almost died," she said with some difficulty. "And... you didn't really _fight. _You struggled but..." she shook her head and he saw the traces of anger in her eyes as she lowered her head to her chest. "You let that newborn overpower you and you gave up."

He opened his mouth, but what could he say? Did he fight and struggle with everything he had? No, he hadn't and, as he realised it, he was not surprised that Bella was angry with him. "I was angry because your family just stood and watched and did nothing. I was angry because you're so scared of being vampires that you act like humans. You've been... domesticated," she said after a moments thought. "Twelve vampires should have torn that newborn to shreds without hesitation, but you just stood there."

"We-"

"I know," Bella said quickly. "Which is why I said nothing earlier," she said with sad eyes that quickly hid behind her hair again as she stared at the grass between her folded legs. "I was raised to be a wolf. I was trained to hunt and kill. This is what I _do. _You... you're used to being a teenager in a classroom. I've dealt with hostile vampires for my entire life and you're used to inviting them in for a chat."

He didn't know what to say or do. She had told him what she was thinking and he didn't like it – he understood and appreciated her point of view, l she painted them out to be useless, mindless people.

"You wanted to know," she said with a shrug of her shoulders. Even in the dimming light, she could see how her words had offended him. She could see the ire building behind his eyes.

"_She's right,_" came an unexpected voice from the house.

Emmett.

Bella twisted her head around but he was still inside the house. She hadn't spoken to any of the Cullen's, save for Carlisle and two words from Alice. She was curious to meet the other vampires in this peculiar coven. But Emmett didn't come out of the house. Edward could still hear his thoughts though, and see how he agreed with what Bella had said. Their time among humans had made them soft. They had adopted useless human habit like breathing and crossing their legs. They acted like humans even among themselves. The only thing that marked them as vampires, was every ten or so days, they would hunt and kill animals before returning to the house to be humans again.

"It's just frustrating," Bella said after a long silence. "You're all trying so hard to be good," she said softly. "But the fact that you even try is all you need."

Edward scoffed sharply. "We're murderers by nature, Bella."

She didn't flinch as he spat her name, didn't move away from his nasty tone or glaring eyes. She met those eyes with kind understanding ones of her own. "Being hungry isn't a sin. Everyone is hungry Edward," she said quietly. "The way we eat defines who we are. In the past week I have killed four deer – but I have made each kill quick, and prayed for them. We eat because we have to. We cause as little pain as we can. _That _is what saves us."

In all her life she had met hundreds of vampires, all with glowing red eyes who embraced their lives with varying degrees of happiness. Those that insight fear, that toy and torture their prey are the monsters. Hunger is a basic need, and eating is a basic urge. She had never judged a vampire for their diet, only how they attain their meals.

"Do you honestly believe that?"

"Yes," she said immediately.

He had never thought about it like the way she had put it. To look at a living, breathing human being and want to destroy that life, that light was abhorrent to him.

Bella moved away and sat a little more than six foot away, her back leaning against the closest tree to him. His mind was occupied and she let him think as he had done for her. Night fell and the stars came out in all their brilliance, dancing and sparkling above them. She often found herself bored on patrols at night, and found herself staring into the sky trying to count all of the stars. She knew she never could, and never would but it passed the time.

He watched her turn and lay on her back, hair sprawled out behind her and her hands sat on her stomach. Her eyes roved this way and that as the stars reflected back at him. He glanced up. It had been too many years since he found the stars enrapturing. He felt the weight on his chest lift as he looked down at her, his deep, dark mood lifting a little as he watched her.

She was a straight forward person. She was there, in the moment, truth and honesty blazing in every word. It was refreshing and eye opening.

"What do you see?" he asked quietly, feeling a little silly for dumping his depressive thoughts on her. He could see the little smile on her face and the way her eyes crinkled at the corners. He wished he could see what she saw.

"I wonder how many eyes are looking at the same thing I am right now," she said with a sigh. "It's so small here but the world is so big with so many people."

"Have you ever left Washington?"

She snorted loudly and inside the house, Alice giggled at the unladylike noise. "This is the first time I've ever been out of Neah Bay, apart from as a wolf of course."

He couldn't imagine being confined to such a small place for so many years, but she had a different heart to him. "What do you see?" she asked.

It was an invitation, and he pushed away from the tree he'd been leaning on for three hours and lay down next to her, their heads touching only slightly, his arms at his sides as he looked into the sky. "I see lights," he said simply.

Bella laughed, a delicate, high pitched tinkling laugh he hadn't heard before. "You're so old," she said jokingly. "Of course I see lights, but beyond that..."

He smiled, because he should have been offended at the age thing but he didn't care and her smile was honest. "I see possibilities."

"Have you been everywhere?" she asked suddenly.

"Most places," he answered. "Obviously we haven't gotten to the North or South Pole, or to any of the deserts, but most places inhabited by humans, we've been."

She sighed beside him and smiled at the thought. "You must have seen so many things."

"I could show you," he said without thinking.

She laughed nervously. "My place is here."

He didn't voice how her own people had cast her out. He didn't point out that none of her so-called friends or _family _had come to make sure the vampires hadn't killed her. Her sense of duty and responsibility was admirable, if not a little one sided.

"Will you tell me about it?" she asked nervously.

And with a smile, he told her about Emmett attending a heavy metal gig, throwing someone through a window and head banging so enthusiastically he'd put his head through a wall and made himself feel nauseous – not an easy feat for a vampire. The story made her laugh, and Emmett was pleased he'd told one of the better ones. He told her about their trip to Egypt, where Jasper and Rosalie had been arrested on suspicion of fraud after using fake passports a little too often. Finger prints were taken but, thankfully, they'd escaped before they tried to extract any blood.

He told her about their trip to England, and how the Houses of Parliament looked dirtier in person, and how it was so loud and busy that he'd got a headache. He told her about the rolling mountains in Scotland, and lakes and rivers and how they'd gone hunting for the Loch Ness Monster but to no avail.

"You love your family," she pointed out after she'd finished laughing at the image of Alice hurling abuse at a poor shop clerk about not having her shoe size in Gucci sling backs.

"We're dysfunctional and argue most of the time," he said lightly. "But they keep me sane."

She felt a pang in her chest and felt sadness bloom. She missed her Pack. She missed diving into the water and running through the forest. She missed the endless, pointless conversations of early morning patrols and idle gossip. She missed the fiery arguments and sense of comradery and family.

She had no-one.

"I think Esme wants to adopt you," Edward said, causing another bubble of laughter.

"I didn't think vampires had _pets," _she said lightly and she felt Edward stiffen beside her. "I have better hearing than you, remember?"

"Rosalie is-"

"Rosalie is protecting her family," she said dismissively.

"Either way – I think you've officially won the whole family over."

She wasn't sure how she felt about it. Whether they liked her or not, it didn't change anything. She was still out here and she would forever be a stinky wolf. Respect only went so far. "And Tanya will be gone soon," he added.

Her laugh was short and tense.

"They were pretty impressed by the way you handled her, by the way," he said on behalf of Emmett and Alice. "Not many people can stare Tanya down."

"I've dealt with plenty worse than her."

Her stomach growled. The Omelettes were too long ago now and she would have to settle for a rabbit or something. She sat up and clambered to her feet, dusting off her bum. Edward sat up and looked up at her. "We could order pizza."

Bella smirked. "You've got a thing about feeding me."

He shrugged but his smirk mirrored hers. "Can't have you disappearing. Plus I don't think we should be heading out on our own at the minute."

In the house Alice was already dialling and when asked what toppings she wanted, Bella just said as much pepperoni that could fit on it. Edward grabbed her hand and tugged her down, urging her to sit again. "I liked our date this morning," he admitted as she sat in front of him, knee to knee again, their entwined hands resting in his lap.

"Me too," she admitted. Not only did she get to see more of Edward without the prying eyes of his family, but she got a full belly too. "Shame about after," she said grimacing. Her leg was almost fully healed and the mark on her face had vanished. A quick roll of her shoulders told her, her back was completely healed.

"You owe me a kiss," he said suddenly.

"Do I now?" she responded with a laugh at his nerve. "What if I'm the sort not to kiss on the first date? I had a very old fashioned up bringing," she reminded him with a coy smile.

"You want to compare old fashioned?" he challenged and she remembered that he was over a hundred years old. It was so easy to forget. "And even back then there were expectations to be upheld," he encouraged loftily.

"Well if there are expectations," she said with a mock gasp before leaning forward and giving the smallest, lightest kiss to his cheek. Her smile was wide and victorious as she looked at his shocked, cheated expression.

With a wicked glint in his eyes, he released her hands only to grab her around the waist. She squealed as she was thrown on the floor, giggling as he leaned over her and stared down at her with his own victorious grin. How did he make her feel so young? She wished she could bottle it.

She heard a sigh from the house and couldn't help but blush. Edward didn't care. He'd heard and seen so much of his family in the past hundred years that he couldn't care any less. His clothes were still filthy and torn, stained with his venom but he didn't care. His eyes were bright as he stared down at her, flushed and happy beneath him. There was no doubt that he would one day love this girl.

Slowly, painfully slowly, he leaned down and pressed a kiss to her lips. Not counting the rough, hair grabbing passionate kiss that quickly led to other passions, this was their first kiss. No tongue no hair pulling, just ice on flame. She melted and he burned. He pulled away and looked down at her, but her eyes were shut and there was a trace of a smile on her face. She liked the warm buzz in her stomach and the nerves that made her too confident.

She could feel him pressed against her, from knee to stomach. His skin, like ice, chilling her and making her shiver but she couldn't say that she was cold. She opened her eyes and saw him staring down at her, his eyes dark and intent on hers. His hands were planted on either side of her head as he stretched over her. He was as vulnerable as she was.

He saw the smirk on her face just before he felt those little fingers push his shirt aside and brush against the smooth expanse of his stomach. She felt his stomach tense under her finger tips, felt the smallest of pushes of his hips against hers and heard the softest gasp. A sense of power washed over her and she smiled widely as she tore yet another one of his shirts from his body.

"You're going to have to stop doing that," he said playfully as she threw the material away.

"No, I don't," she countered cheekily.

"_I think I might hurl," _Emmett said deliberately.

Both of them laughed, but he could see that Bella was suddenly uncomfortable. He sat up on his knees and Bella followed before getting to her feet, grabbing his hand and tugging him along as she headed into the forest. He laughed but she was serious. They got two and a half miles out until they stopped and Bella pushed him with such strength that sent him tumbling to the floor with the grace of a penguin.

But then she was there, sitting on top of him with an evil glint in her eyes and a smirk on her face that made him burn from the inside out. Her hands on his chest, she leaned down and kissed him ever so gently. Her hair dropped around them like a thick curtain but they didn't need anything else as their eyes locked and gold met chocolate brown.

Birds, rabbits, squirrels and all matter of small critters fled the area.

He heard her heart beat faster and heavier as she leaned down and pressed a kiss to his throat, his neck, his shoulder, his chin, the tip of his nose and then, finally, a hard, burning kiss that had her hands in his hair, gripping those soft locks as she gyrated her hips. He growled lowly as he parted his lips and their kiss deepened. She felt his hands on her shoulders, sliding down to her chest, her waist and then the curve of her ass. He pushed her hips into his and they both moaned.

They were more careful with clothing this time, but not by far. Without moving from their position, they managed to undress one another completely before he felt her heat pressed against him. It was unbearable but she wasn't done. Kisses fluttered down his neck, to his chest, his stomach and each of his thighs. She heard his breath hitch and chuckled to herself. "You wish," she said confidently before climbing back up and setting her hands either side of his head, her breasts in his face which he didn't seem too bothered about.

They were slower, softer as he positioned himself and pushed his hips up. There was no feeling like it and she couldn't help the quiet moan that left her lips. She pulled her hair from his face and lowered her body until her breasts were against his chest and she was pressing kisses to his throat; she knew he liked it. He set the rhythm; a steady in and out that had her grabbing fistfuls of grass and making all sorts of obscene noises into his neck.

He could hear her soft breathes in his ear and it was driving him mad. His hands found the curve of her ass and he pushed her down when he pushed up, eliciting the loudest moan yet as she threw her head back. She was too much. Her noises, the kisses, her eyes...

She was too lost in sensations to care when his arm snaked around her waist and they rolled over, still joined until she was on her back and he was positioned above her. He whispered soft curses as he slid in and out and she gyrated and writhed beneath him. She was too much, and suddenly she was right there, crying out and arching her back, her hands clawing at his back deliciously as her muscles clamped down around him. He rode on through it, and finished with four sharp thrusts that made her cry out and clamp her eyes shut.

Still and breathing heavily, he rested his forehead on hers and kept his eyes shut savouring the moment. His cold nose buried into her nose, tickling her and making her wriggle away and giggle as she pushed him away with hands on his chest. He sat up and grinned as he looked down at her, flushed and covered in a thin layer of sweat. She was glorious.

They lay there, naked side by side in quiet for some time. It was nice, just to be there together. Her head rested on his chest and his arm hugged her waist and held her tightly against him as she traced circles and words on his stomach. The rain began in a faint drizzle but neither of them moved.

"I definitely like you," Bella said glancing up from his chest with a shy smile.

"Likewise, Miss Swan," he said, rubbing his hand on her small waist. "There might be hope for us yet."

–

"We didn't want to interrupt," Emmett said with a weirdly proud smirk and wriggle of his eyebrows as he handed Bella the, now cold pizza box. She accepted it with a furious blush and couldn't quite look him in the eye while Edward punched him in the arm. Emmett laughed raucously and disappeared back inside the house.

Edward and Bella sat under the cover of the tree line while she ate the pizza. Her hair was a mess of knots, curls and dirt from rolling around on the forest floor. Apparently two and a half miles isn't far enough away from prying ears.

Only a few minutes later the others returned from the meeting and Bella shooed Edward off to talk to them. She liked the sad look on his face when he walked away from her, and ate her slice of pizza with a pleased smile on her face. She almost gagged – almost vomited right there and then from what she heard.

"The Makah Pack were fighting like wild animals-"

The pizza was forgotten and she was on her feet heading for the house but Edward was there, a hand on her shoulder willing her to calm down and wait. Carlisle was by his side, along with Jasper and Tanya.

"No-one was badly hurt," Carlisle assured her. She didn't believe him. She knew in-pack fights could be brutal. A playful scrap was nothing if they intended to wound. "It seems as though the Pack is split. Lana gave them an order to sit and ten of them refused-"

She turned and walked away a little. She knew what that meant.

"Bella?"

"What happened next?" she asked, turning back to them with fear in her eyes as they focussed only on Carlisle.

"She tried again – a few sat, but six still stood."

She muttered something in a language foreign to them all and rubbed a hand over her face roughly. "Did they sit eventually?"

"She tried to make them – got quite hysterical actually. That's when the fight started. _Thomas _went for her and another wolf defended her, and it was a domino effect from there," Carlisle said, watching Bella pace back and forth on the patio. The stench was overwhelming, but nothing to the thought of her pack falling apart. "Lana eventually got control again and they left quickly."

Eyes landed on Bella but her gaze was far away and there was a look of fury written all over her face. Lana was ruining everything. She cursed Thomas who was supposed to hold the Pack together, not lead a rebellion. She wanted to go to them, to appeal to Lana, to talk Thomas into calming down but she knew her presence would only force their hand and Lana wasn't one for civility. She had one of the most cold, calculating minds in the Pack which made her a good wolf, but a lousy Alpha.

There was nothing she could do.

She wished they'd never told her.

Those were her friends, some closer than others, but all her family. She trusted each and every one of them with her life, even Lana. The thought of them getting to the point of fighting one another, defying direct orders and openly rebelling against the Alpha in front of the Cullen's and even Sam screamed of how much disorder there was within the Pack.

"Bella?" Edward said, approaching her tentatively. He could see she was angry.

"There's nothing we can do," she said quietly, glancing back at Carlisle. "They might drop out of the alliance if they don't get it sorted, so be ready to be nineteen wolves down," she advised him.

"Couldn't you just go and talk to them?" Tanya asked, crossing her arms over her chest like it was the most obvious solution in the world.

"If I step into Makah territory my own Pack will be ordered to kill me. I am not welcome on their soil," she said in a dead calm tone, looking the blond vampire straight in the eye. "I will not put my friends and family in that position."

The mood had gone, and Bella returned to her little home on the other side of the river while Edward went inside with his family. The smiles and warm buzzing in her stomach was a long distant memory as her thoughts plagued her. She was used to addressing problems, used to taking action and analysing and fixing situations. Her hands were tied and there was nothing to do but hope to God her Pack made it through.

It was too much to ask.

Six hours later she was startled from a light slumber. There was nothing, aside from the twelve vampires in the house in front of her. She looked around her, waiting but heard nothing more. A shiver ran down her spine and she couldn't explain it. She got to her feet but there was nothing there.

Fifteen minutes later she heard the soft footfalls. _Dun dun dun dun. _

Her heart dropped and the Cullen's heard the same foreign word slip from her mouth. They couldn't hear the approaching body yet but Bella had their attention. Tanya likened her to a guard dog and Esme hushed her sharply while Edward ignored the remark and stood just outside the back door, his eyes fixed on Bella.

"A wolf is coming," she said quietly, not turning to look at him. The expanse of the lawn lay between them. He could see her hands balled into fists. She phased and a snarl tore from her mouth, spit flying from her teeth as her ears flattened and she began to pace endlessly. Her eyes and body turned to the east.

In the distance, a series of howls rang out into the early morning.

They heard it then – the wolf, its heavy breathes, the beat of its heart. Nerves and fear bounced between the vampires. Two wolves were nothing to defeat, but they weren't expecting anything like that. "It's not attacking," Edward mumbled from the doorway with a roll of his eye.

"What's it thinking?" Carlisle asked as the vampires piled out onto the patio, hoping that if it was to attack, seeing such a vast number of them would send it running.

The wolf broke through the trees on the left side of the garden and Bella crouched low, snarling ferociously. She wasn't this angry, even with Sam. "It's Thomas," Edward said with surprise. The sandy coloured wolf walked low to the ground, a submissive pose to the nth degree. His ears to flat as he crawled on his stomach towards Bella, whose continuous snarl was deafening and a threat.

She wouldn't attack Thomas.

But she was always proving him wrong.

She lunged with teeth exposed and claws ready to damage. Thomas fought back only a little to defend himself from the worst of the attack. It looked brutal and Esme winced at his side, but no blood was drawn and claws pushed, not slashed. Bella pinned Thomas beneath her and the pair stared at one another. No-one dared to move as the pair breathed heavily and stood nose to nose.

The sandy wolf suddenly flicked out his tongue and licked Bella's snout, causing her to jump away, startled. Back on his feet, the Sandy wolf shook out his fur and stood with a straight back and neck – his eyes on Bella as she paced and whined loudly. He took a step towards her and she stopped pacing to glare at him. His mind was once again silent to Edward.

With a small hiss of air, he stood before them as a dark skinned man with a small grin on his face as he looked at the huge wolf in front of him. "Come on," he cooed condescendingly. Edward was surprised when Bella shifted. She didn't strike him as the sort to do as she was told. Her arms were crossed over her chest and her glare was ice cold. "You missed me – admit it," he said opening his arms wide, winking at her.

Her responding smile was creeping and wide as she unfolded her arms and launched herself at him, their arms wrapped around one another in the biggest mood swing Jasper had ever seen. Thomas stood over six foot, towering over Bella's tiny five foot two frame. He could easily pass for a Quileute with his dark skin and black hair. "You are an asshole," Bella said suddenly stepping back and landing a punch right in his stomach.

Thomas winced and bent a little as he covered the spot she'd just hit. "Calm your shit down woman," he cried rubbing the area. "I showed you what it was like over there."

"You _promised," _she hissed with narrow eyes.

"Bella-" Thomas said seriously. "Every thing's different now."

"I don't care!" she cried suddenly. "Get your ass back to Neah Bay!"

"Is that an order?" Thomas simpered acidically.

Bella's eyes narrowed. "Don't push me – not after this," she warned with a sharp glare before casting her eyes to the ground. "Will Lana allow you back?"

Thomas scoffed. "After you've tainted me? Not a chance in Hell," he said proudly.

"You are not staying here," Bella said strongly.

"Fine – I'll just go ask Sam if I can sleep on his couch-"

"Thomas!" Bella screeched. "I swear to God I will rip your tongue out if you carry on."

He didn't look too worried, but settled down with a sigh. "You don't know what it's like over there Bells," he said quietly. She was still pissed. "Patrols are punishments. We have a _schedule. _We have _assigned roles _and _duties _now. We can't talk, move or breath without Lana's approval. Harry and I went for a swim yesterday and we ended up having to scrub the walls of the Council Building."

Bella pulled a face and Thomas nodded. "Exactly. It's a concentration camp, I swear to God."

Bella growled quietly. "You were supposed to keep them together."

"There was nothing I could do, Bella. People have their own opinions and it's not just me who's considered leaving. Ask them-" Thomas said, flicking his hand towards where the Cullen's and Denali's all stood watching.

"I heard all about last night," Bella hissed. "You don't know what you've done-" she insisted quietly. "You'll never see your parents again. You'll never be able to set foot in Neah Bay-"

"And I don't want to," he said with a loud laugh. "I don't think you understand Bella. It was my parents who convinced me to leave this morning."

Bella narrowed her eyes but knew Thomas wasn't one to lie. His parents were both Teachers at the small school on the reservation, both loving, kind hearted people though his mother had a sharp tongue when it was called for. They'd sort of adopted her into the family when she was younger and started hanging around with Thomas. They were so proud that both of them got to be in the Pack, and even more proud when they got Alpha and Beta status. If they _encouraged _Thomas to turn his back on the Pack...

"People are noticing," Thomas nodded, as if following her train of thought. "Lana is issuing orders left right and centre and not just to us. There's a nine o'clock curfew now. Anyone caught on the streets gets a hundred dollar fine."

No-one could afford that on the reservation. They didn't have a lot of money, and what pennies they did have were spent getting better equipment for the fishermen or repairing the buildings. Bella shook her head in dismay at the idea of fining people.

She sighed deeply and looked over to Carlisle. He knew what she was going to ask. "He can stay."

"Thank you," Thomas said with sudden maturity. Bella didn't look at all happy, turning away and leaving him in the middle of the lawn.

* * *

Leave me a review and let me know what you think!


	6. Chapter 6

"Pizza!" Thomas said with a broad smile, reaching for the box. Bella slammed her hand down on the lid with a glare and Thomas sat down heavily, a sour expression on his face. "You're such a bitch."

She grumbled something and Thomas rolled his eyes. "Don't go all _Makah Native _on me," he said but didn't try again for the pizza. "Hows the whole vampire imprint thing going?"

"Fine," she replied tersely.

"_Fine?" _he repeated doubtfully. "Imprints either go one of two ways – all the way, or seperate ways. By the looks of things you've gone all the way," he said with a wiggle of his bushy eyebrows, which earned him a punch to the arm as she blushed. He laughed loudly. "I knew it!"

"Shut up!" she hissed as her face flamed.

"I never thought I'd see the day Isabella Swan blushed over a man," he said faintly. "But seriously... it is all good, or do I have to bust some balls?"

"No ball busting needed," she said with a roll of her eyes. They sat in her usual spot just beneath the trees on the other side of the river. "He's been the perfect gentleman, given the circumstances."

Thomas remained sceptical but didn't push it any further. He knew better than to meddle with an imprint. He lay on his back. Neither of them cared that the ground was sodden, or that the drizzle had started up again. "It's good to have you back, Swan," he said with a tired sigh.

"You're lucky I don't march your ass back to Neah Bay and order you across the line," she said but her tone was soft and reprimanding, not biting and nasty. "How did everything get to messed up?"

"The moment you wanted to bone a vampire," Thomas offered and Bella didn't slap him, but just laughed because it was utterly ridiculous. "Honestly, of all the people to imprint on, did it have to be a vampire?"

Edward was struck, remembering that Rosalie had said the same thing to him about Bella. He sat in the house, giving the pair time to talk and catch up. She'd only been gone for two days, but those days had been long and arduous for all of them apparently. "At least he doesn't kill people," she offered with a quiet sigh. "It could have been a lot worse. Imagine if I'd imprinted on a Quileute."

Thomas faked a shudder and shook his head. "It doesn't bear thinking about."

"How's my grandpa?" she asked after a few minutes of watching the rain drop into the water and the rings expand out. Leaving her grandpa had been the hardest part of the whole charade.

"Fine – Margaret from the hairdressers has got him set up in her spare bedroom," Thomas said with a cheeky smile. "But that bed looked a little too tidy if you ask me."

"Margaret?" she repeated with a laugh. Marg was a small woman, standing at less than five foot, with a poofy, curly perm and fast disappearing eyesight and hearing. She still worked as a hairdresser on the reservation, and was one of the best. She could cuss out anyone and when she was wielding those scissors you knew to keep your opinions in kind. "Well done Grandpa," Bella said with an appreciative laugh. He'd been alone for more than fifty years after his wife, and her grandmother had been killed by a vampire.

"You should see them together," Thomas went on with a small laugh. "She dotes on him, calling him Harold all the time and acting like they're just friends."

It lifted a hefty weight from her shoulders to know her grandpa was cared for. She knew Margaret lived with her grand daughter, Lisa, who was a nice enough girl. At least he'd have a hot meal and nice bed to sleep in.

"You should hear the shit they spread to cover your disappearance," Thomas said with a click of his tongue as he stared at the sky. "Apparently a mass murdering vampire has manipulated you, and you _chose _to abandon your people, and your Pack to be with him."

She should have been angry, should have been furious to think that people were hearing such drivel but she just laughed, because she refused to cry. He could see it though, see the sadness behind the smile and the tears in her eyes. "No-one believes it," he assured her. "Everyone knows what the Council is like."

It had been nice out here on her own, without the Council ordering her around and berating her for her every move, without the responsibility of hundreds of people crushing. She loved it, but it was suffocating at times and the taste of freedom had been beautiful. The reminders of what used to be her home and her people only depressed her.

They went for a run, away from the prying ears and eyes of the vampires. As childish and loud as Thomas could be, she knew he was the best friend she could ever have and had her best interests at heart. There was no-one she would rather have at her side.

Her mind flickered to Edward but she cast the thought away quickly. Thomas snorted beside her and she bumped him with her hip in a playful effort to shut him up.

_It's that serious already?_

It had been only three days since she'd left Neah Bay but it felt like weeks had flown by. _He's a good guy, _she found herself saying, defending him, a vampire. Odd.

_We'll see._

They hunted together, sharing the kill and bemoaning the horrid stench of vampires that seeped into every tree and blade of grass. Thomas was finding it easier than Bella had but it was still uncomfortable to be so close, so they took advantage of the freedom the forest allowed them. They ran without purpose, without care or worry. Their minds and thoughts ran freely, sparring back and forth.

The Cullen's were not to happy for the reunion. Edward had vouched for Bella, and her imprinting had somewhat ensured that she would keep herself in check. There was nothing stopping this new wolf from attacking any of them and it left them uneasy and angry with Carlisle's decision.

They heard it

Of course they could – even five miles away, the distant screaming argument was crisp and clear to their large ears. They'd been laid out on the river bank further down stream, just enjoying the tweeting birds and moment of peace. Bella's sigh was great and she wondered when anything would ever be easy.

_We'll find somewhere else, _she said, sitting up and getting to her feet.

_I'll just tell them I'm not a savage, _Thomas said dismissively as he shook the sand and dirt from his fur. It was so straight forward for him.

_It's not normal for us to live with vampires, _Bella argued weakly. The thought of leaving Edward unprotected, and alone with Tanya made every fibre of her being protest violently but she was Alpha again, and she was no longer looking out for herself. Thomas was her priority now. He heard her thoughts and wanted to argue but kept his opinion quiet and she didn't pay attention to his minds' mumbling.

Back at the house the arguments raged on, even as Bella and Thomas returned and sat listening just beyond the tree line. From the sound of things, Carlisle, Edward and Esme joined forces with Carmen, Kate and Jasper to defend both the wolves while the others stood protesting adamantly, getting louder and louder. There was a crash of something being thrown against a wall – china, if the tinkling was anything to go by.

Bella fidgeted uneasily as she heard Edward's returning shout, defending her with curses and expletives aimed at his family. She hated it. She wanted to turn and walk away. She wanted to walk in there and scream at them to shut the fuck up. This wasn't something to argue over – it was very simple.

_Maybe you're right... _Thomas thought warily. He had seen his fair share of imprints, and knew that separating was always difficult even on a small scale. Their Pack mate, Jason had found it almost impossible to let his imprint, Kathy, walk out the room without following her. The sense of attachment and care was bound tightly around the couple and he could see it was similar, though not as strong, for Bella and this vampire.

_It doesn't matter, _Bella insisted meeting his yellow eyes with a steady gaze. _I'm a wolf, and you're my Beta. We go together. Nobody will ever change that._

Not even Edward.

_We need to find somewhere else to stay... _Bella admitted with a sigh as she stood again. Her mind was set and he could see it. She would sacrifice her relationship with Edward for him and in that moment, he knew why she was his Alpha, why she had been chosen year after year and why every one respected her. They might not have liked her, but she demanded respect and got it from everyone around her.

With a nod, they ran back into the forest to find a suitable location. It was painfully clear that they were not welcome so close to the Cullen's house and, as they ran, Bella thought that neutral territory would be the best thing. Not on the Cullen's land, not on Makah soil, but marking out their own territory elsewhere. The further from all of them, the better but the further from Edward they settled, the harder it would be. She knew that, but the safety of her Pack was more important to her and she wasn't about to put Thomas in any more danger than needed.

They split after twenty or so miles. Thomas headed east, and Bella west in an effort to find somewhere. She didn't think anything when his mind became silent and he shifted into a human – she knew not everyone felt as comfortable as she did as a wolf.

That wasn't his intention.

Twenty minutes later and he hopped over that river and marched straight up to the Cullen's house, opened the back door and stepped inside. Arguments were silenced immediately, words hung in the air but eyes were on the doorway as Thomas walked into the living room as easily as if he'd been invited. Splinters of an ornate vase crunched beneath his shoes, and there was a fist sized hole in the wall, all of which he took in patiently and with raised eyebrows.

His laughter bubbled up without thought. "And you have the nerve to think I'm volatile and dangerous?" he said indignantly.

"Where's Bella?" Edward asked immediately. Thomas' eyes settled on him, spotting the tear in his shirt and the way his hands were balled into fists. There were twelve vampires crammed into one, admittedly large, living room with eyes of varying shades of black and dark honey. He knew he was being stupid and, if Bella came back right now, she would drag him out by his ass and the resulting fight wouldn't be so soft but this was his gift to her.

"Looking for other places to stay," he said evenly.

There was a snort from a leggy blond with her arms over her head. She had three doppelgänger's stood around her and it was a little odd to see. "Good."

"Get your head out of your ass," he said with a roll of his eyes. Growls rang out throughout the room but Thomas wasn't fazed at all. "What do you hope to achieve exactly? You think I'm going to hunt you down one by one? You think I'm so juvenile that I'd risk our alliance?" he spat at the blond who narrowed her eyes into a glare. "Don't hide behind fucking ridiculous accusations. You're more likely to slit my throat than I am yours."

"Damn right," she spat.

He wished Bella was there. She was the diplomat. She handled things with grace and dignity while his mind swirled with insults and curses. "You want Edward to chose between his family and his mate?"

His words chilled the heat in the room.

"That's not what we're asking-"

"Clearly you haven't got a mate," he said simply.

Her silence was the answer he needed. "We are no threat to you. None of us like it, but Edward and Bella have screwed everything up and we have to deal with it and shut the fuck up for their sake."

Edward wanted to shake this man's hand, but he knew his words came from his love for Bella, and not from any friendliness towards him. Too long had Edward waited for his mate. He had watched his family, one by one, find their mates while he sat by and longed for his own. It was far from perfect but Bella was his, even with all the baggage that came with her. He had his fair share and they were threatening to ruin everything.

"Bella stays," Carlisle said with a tone of finality, slowly crossing the room and approaching the wolf. "And you are more than welcome to stay as well."

"It isn't going to be that easy," Thomas said with a click his tongue as he leaned against the door frame with such casual ease it was astounding. "We heard your arguing. She's gone into Alpha Mode."

"Which means..." the blond said, her words dripping with impatience.

"_Which means," _he said mockingly. "She's ready and willing to drop his ass to protect her Pack, which at the moment, is me. She wants neutral territory about forty miles away from La Push, Neah Bay and Forks and it pretty set on getting as far from everyone as possible. You forget that she's an Alpha – it's her duty to protect everyone around her."

Edward didn't like the thought of her being so far away, unprotected and alone. If those newborns were to come through again, with just the two of them, would they stand a chance? "That's not going to happen," Edward all but growled.

"My thoughts exactly," Thomas agreed with a sigh. "It's just convincing her."

–

She knew.

She just fucking knew, as she headed back to the Cullen's house after two hours of searching, that Thomas had pulled something. His scent trailed through the woods but was faded and at least an hour old. He hadn't put too much time into searching, if any at all. His shift into human skin suddenly made more sense and she pushed on as her anger boiled up.

Thomas was her best friend and she loved him, but going behind her back, lying to her and taking decisions out of her hands was too much. He'd crossed a line. In her twelve years as Alpha she'd only had to pull rank a handful of times, and most of them were in the first few months of her stepping into the role. The arguments had stopped and Thomas waited for her in his human form, sat on the river bank with his toes in the water, shoes and socks sat beside him.

She could smell the Cullen's on him. Her eyes went to the house. Carlisle and Edward stood on the patio just outside the back door and a growl slipped from between her teeth without intention. He had the nerve to look nervous as she stalked towards him. He knew she wouldn't attack him in his human form, but it wasn't often her fury was directly solely at him. He had meddled but he hoped she saw that it had come from a good place.

"Bella," Carlisle beckoned quietly. It took a few moments for her to relinquish Thomas from her glare, only to set those narrowed eyes on the blond vampire. "If we could talk?"

She didn't want to.

She felt humiliated. This was the Cullen's territory and they were guests – guests that had outstayed their welcome. She was willing to leave Edward behind and move on to safer ground. It wasn't a decision she made lightly, but it was for the best in the end. She was sure of her choice.

Her steps were fluid and she looked every bit the wild wolf half of the coven believed her to be. As she phased into her human form her expression remained flat, her eyes hard and blank as she stood before Carlisle. Gone were the smiles and formalities. Stood before them was an Alpha.

"We think it would be better for you to remain close to our property," Carlisle began, meeting those calculating eyes with ease.

"I bet," she said shortly.

"We don't know if or when more newborns will filter through and, we think it would be safer to stick together than separate. We're stronger together," Carlisle said with sincerity.

"Together we're a sitting target," Bella argued smoothly. "There's already too many of us in one place. One attack would wipe out more than half of the alliance. Distance would make all of our lives easier, and protect against unnecessary bickering."

"You can't just leave," Edward said softly.

"Yes I can," Bella replied, turning her cold eyes on him. "If Thomas is right, more wolves will be on their way. It would be safer for us to be away from your coven."

It had nothing to do with them. Emotions and imprints were removed from the equation.

"No-one will touch your people," Carlisle said with a promise in his eyes. "This is my land and you are welcome, not only as Edwards imprint but as allies. Anyone who has a problem with that arrangement can leave – no-one will stop them," he said to the occupants of the house. Eyebrows were raised. Carlisle had never once pulled rank, but as coven leader he had ever right to. Usually his words were followed without question but this woman was throwing his family into a right state.

Alpha and coven leader stared at one another, and Edward realised the politics that were unfolding in front of him. A new kind of alliance was being formed and he had no say in it.

"More will come," Bella warned.

"And they will be welcomed also."

She wasn't sure. It was a risk. Thus far, she only had Thomas to contend with but what if more arrived? Could this many vampires live alongside a Pack of wolves? She was sceptical. Her Pack was her priority. They all awaited the decision – the final say. She was free to leave and relocate in fact she had been right – it would be much easier for everyone involved. Life would be easier.

There stood Edward, literally and metaphorically, begging her to stay, to take that chance and risk it for him. She was an Alpha first. Behind her, Thomas splashed his feet in the water like a child and she knew it was he who had orchestrated this. "We'll see how it goes," she said warily.

–

Thomas had smartly made his excuses and left Bella to stew in her thoughts after her talk with Carlisle. She had relished the idea of being as far from the house as possible – away from the Denali's, from the acidic comments and nasty blonde's. It seemed her act of heroism the day previous had been long forgotten and she was once again the dirty mutt who needed to be put down and it was wearing thin.

Edward went to speak with her. Things were different between them now. She was Alpha again and her every move and decision would be influenced by that.

She didn't want to talk, not to Edward and not to Thomas. She didn't want to answer questions or explain herself. She wasn't sure her answers would be up to scratch. Still, he sat down opposite her with his legs dangling over the river while she did the same on her side. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"No," she responded immediately.

It was frustrating. He could see her thoughts flashing across her eyes, lining her forehead and tightening her jaw but he was clueless. She was still angry, still on edge but he was frustrated as well. He'd stood and watched his family split – screaming and fighting for Bella to leave, fighting for her to stay. He saw coven's at war. He'd never seen his family so torn or so passionate about anything in all of his life. He and Emmett had come to physical blows – a particular low point that neither of them had reconciled yet.

"Do you want to leave?"

She'd wanted silence and peace, just the illusion of it at least but it was too much to ask for. His question was loaded and there was no right answer. No answer seemed to fit.

"I want to do the right thing," she said, her eyes gazing, unseeing at the water flowing between them. It was like her first day here, like they'd regressed all the way back to the beginning, to awkward conversations and silence.

"And staying isn't the right thing to do?"

"Not for my Pack," she said coldly. "Your _family," _she spat the word, "have made it very clear that we are not welcome here, to the point of hostility. Not for one moment have I judged your family for what you are but you seem so eager to call us monsters. We have done nothing but be respectful..." she stopped herself from going any further and took a deep breath in an effort to clear her mind.

"They will not attack you," Edward said, knowing that his words were true. Not even in the most radical future could he imagine any of his family trying to harm Isabella or Thomas.

She said nothing and they sat quietly for a long time. She sat at a crossroads, though she had verbally already agreed to stay, in her heart she was miles away. She couldn't decide. Twelve potentially hostile vampires were difficult to justify as a risk. Edward was her imprint, her soul mate, her other half. He was who she was born to be next to but at what cost? She wanted to cast off the shackles of Alpha, to be just another wolf but she wouldn't. She could not step down.

Once an Alpha, always an Alpha. It was much more than a title, but a way of thinking, a lifestyle, a whole mind frame.

She had Carlisle's word, and she found that she trusted it. He was a man of integrity and his words came from his heart not a plan. She knew she had Edward's side, but there were still so many others against them. "Nothing is ever simple."

Edward looked up at her sighed words. "It wouldn't be worth it if it was," he said with kind eyes.

She didn't deserve those eyes.

"I'm sorry," she whispered so very quietly, putting her head in her hands. She'd always believed that an imprint would never come between her and her Pack, that she would be strong enough to push it aside but as she stared at Edward she feared the lengths she would go to, to remain at his side. "It's only going to get worse."

"They might surprise you," Edward prompted gently. Carlisle's stand had shaken his family and he had held true to his word. Rosalie, Emmett and even Alice were told to contain themselves or to leave them. The same was said to Tanya and Irina. Carlisle was siding with Edward.

Bella had listened to the ultimatums and didn't believe they would do any good. Forcing them into civility would do nothing to improve things or gain trust, not that Bella or Thomas had earned their distrust. Rain began to heave from the sky in sheets of liquid ice. A flash of lightning lit the sky for a brief moment.

"We'll figure this out," Edward said softly.

–

The day was quiet. Edward returned to his family and exchanged apologies with both Emmett and Rosalie. Bella's mood had sunk to a new low and she sat with her back against a tree, staring off into the distance to the right of the house. She was sodden, with water dripping from her nose and every tendril of hair. Esme wanted to usher her inside and give her a steaming cup of soup.

Thomas' return was met with identical silence. Bella didn't even acknowledge him and he sat at a decent distance away just in case. He believed his actions were justified, if the outcome was a little less than what he was expecting. Still, Bella was still with Edward and he was confident things would make a turn for the better.

Night fell and the air chilled, descending to just above freezing. It wasn't anything they couldn't handle but neither of them slept at all. As wolves, they lay all night with nothing but each others thoughts to occupy them. Agreements and apologies were made on both sides. She was envious of his optimism. They lay together, trying in a vain attempt to stay warm but the rain pelted down on them and the wind was whipping at their fur and ears with a bitter bite. They were lucky to be naturally hotter than humans.

It was five in the morning before the wind died, the clouds passed and the rain abated.

Perhaps a kennel wasn't such a bad idea after all.

As the sun rose, as did the temperature and with cracking bones and shivers, the pair parted and got to their feet. It had been a long, arduous night but it had given them the time to think things over more thoroughly. She'd missed having Thomas there, talking her down from her perches and forcing her to see reality through a different pair of eyes. She needed to calm down, back off and trust that things would work out. She was too present, too in the moment, which was understandable given the past week or so, but it wasn't helping the situation at all.

The Cullen's had allowed them on their land, had been cordial and civil for most part and she should look at that as a step forward. Arguments were a certainty. They were natural enemies that were fighting the normal flow of power; conflict was practically a given but it didn't mean everything had to come crumbling down.

She was tired and hungry, but felt a damn sight better than she had previously.

She stretched, yawned and gave her droopy-eyed friend a shove with her head. He whined but just let her roll him over, too exhausted and not quite as pleased as she was at the nights revelations. But for the first time in too long, she felt like, just maybe, things could work out okay. She nudged him again, her snout pressing against his neck, prodding and pushing him along the ground. She heard his reluctance, his irritation at her play.

Jasper had sensed the shift in her mood, and watched with a small smile as the light brown wolf lunged half heartedly and Bella jumped back, her chocolate brown fur still sodden and clinging to her skin. Even without the fluffy fur, they were still formidable beasts. He watched as Thomas stumbled to his feet, annoyance making him lunge again and the pair collided and tumbled to the ground, kicking and pawing at one another in nothing more than a fun scrap.

Edward sidled up beside him, seeing the pair in Jasper's mind and wanting to see it for himself. He was glad that Bella seemed a little happier. He watched the two face off, tails swishing this way and that as they crouched and feigned left and right. It was ridiculous that these killers, with their razor-like teeth and vampire killing claws were playing on their back lawn.

Esme returned with Carmen, having picked up some foods that might be more acceptable. Tins and packets were preferred – assuming the the air-tight packaging would keep their scent from spoiling the food. They brought pizza too – the same one Bella had ordered before. Edward took it out to them, after a small thank you and a gentle kiss to Esme and Carmen's cheeks. He hadn't thought to feed them.

The pair lay on the ground, with Thomas holding Bella in some sort of headlock. They didn't mind when they heard the door open and close or the approach of a vampire. It was the smell of the pizza that had their ears pricking, their play forgotten as they rushed to their feet. He couldn't help but laugh as he suddenly faced a very muddy, very wet pair of wolves arguing and elbowing their way towards him. Thomas, as tall as he was, snatched the pizza from Edward's hand with a victorious "Ha!" at Bella before running back and hopping across to the other side of the river, before he sat on a dry patch of grass and opened the box.

"You should have ordered two," she said with a smile. "He's a pig."

"You did have four giant omelette's in one sitting," Edward reminded her.

Behind them they heard a scoff as Thomas, with half a pizza slice hanging out of his mouth spluttered, "Only four?"

She looked back to Edward with a familiar light in her eyes, and her beautiful smile lifting her cheeks. "Sorry for yesterday," she said sheepishly, holding his gaze with hers and hoping he could see her sincerity. He did, but it wasn't needed.

"Stop apologising for things you can't control," he said, repeating the advice she'd given to him only a few days earlier. "I think we all got caught up in it," he admitted with a shrug. He wanted to speak more but a loud belch had him remembering the pizza. "Go eat before he has the whole thing," he said jokingly, but she grabbed his hand and pulled him along with her.

She didn't hesitate to sit on the sodden ground and both of them laughed when Edward just stood and looked down at them. "What? Are those your only pants?" Thomas laughed good heartedly and, with a small smile of his own, Edward sat down next to Bella. If Thomas as at all uncomfortable he didn't show it.

"Hey!" he cried as Bells snatched the pizza box from his hands. He still had a mouth full but that didn't seem to put him off trying to grab the box back. "Come on!"

"We can hunt later," she chided him, pulling the box out of reach until his arms fell limply into his lap and Bella tore a slice off and devoured it in three bites. It was equally disgusting and impressive; neither of them had any manners or cared.

"What does this smell like?" Bella asked suddenly, looking to Edward.

"What I imagine drains to smell like," he said pulling a disgusting face. The stench was worse because of the heat and grease, but if he was honest, the smell of Thomas was quickly eclipsing any and all pungency of the food.

"Dude, you have no idea what you're missing," Thomas sighed, patting his belly with a content smile on his face. "I don't suppose blood tastes like pizza?"

"I very much doubt it," Edward said wryly as Bella scoffed.

"Ugh you two are nauseating," Thomas moaned after a few minutes. Bella glowered at him as he covered his eyes with his arm and flopped to the ground.

"There's a whole forest for you to fuck off into," Bella said sweetly. It wasn't like she was kissing Edward, or even touching him. They'd merely shared a sweet smile as he wiped a crumb from her cheek. He'd laughed quietly as she'd blushed and thanked him.

"You are a true poet, Miss Swan," He quipped from the floor without moving his arm. He yawned loudly and Edward could see the red on the back of his throat. He obviously had a sore throat. "I miss central heating," he grumbled before he went right off to sleep.

"It's difficult to imagine he could kill me," Edward said with a small smile to Bella. The pizza was gone and she had a content smile on her face, almost identical to Thomas.

"We can drop pretty much anywhere," she said with a shrug, yawning as she began to warm up with food in her belly. Her hair was a little damp, but her clothes had dried from her body heat. He watched her eyes become sad once again but she dropped her chin to hide them.

"What's wrong?"

She laughed and he smiled, because what wasn't wrong at this point?

"Everything is going to change," she said with a heavy sigh. "It was nice... not having any responsibilities for a while," she said picking grass from the ground. "I mean, I'm glad I'm not on my own anymore but..."

"You're different with him," Edward prompted quietly.

"I know," she admitted with a small nod. "But I'm an Alpha. I'm better at that than I am at this."

Edward thought she was pretty good at everything, but that was probably just the imprint/mating talking. She was more serious with Thomas, more authoritative and stronger. Her soft smiles and laughter were left given sparingly but he could appreciate that Thomas was testing. Already, he'd pushed her anger further than even Tanya had.

He found himself watching her again, as he so often did. She was beautiful, but not in the way Rosalie was, and not even in the way human girls had a certain charm. Everything about her held something for him, from her eyelashes, to the curve of her lips. He was glad to see the lines on her forehead gone and her expression distant but thoughtful. He would have done anything to take a peek in her mind, but he had to be respectful and go the human route.

"We're supposed to be allies," Bella voiced distantly. "But we can barely speak to one another."

"You spoke to Carmen and Eleazar quite well," he praised with a smile.

"Two out of twelve is pitiful," she said as she rubbed her face. "How can we expect to work as a cohesive unit if we don't even communicate?"

"So, let's communicate."

But something held her back, like a chain around her heart and Tanya's beautiful face reared its ugly head in her mind. Edward was so willing, already on his feet and offering a hand to help her up. He saw the reluctance, the guardedness in her eyes and the tightness of her mouth. She had her own reservations.

Another chance, but she had to take it.

–

She had expected raging arguments and a few more fists through plasterboards, but the vampires were silent inside the house. Thomas was looking at her with dubious eyes and doubt spilled from his mouth. "You want to show them _how we fight?" _he repeated with disbelief, rubbing the sleep from his eyes and getting to his feet. "So you want to show vampires how to kill us in the quickest, most effective way?"

"They're not the enemy," she argued softly. "The more we know, the better chance we have of winning this thing. We know our own pack enough to help them, and it's not like we're going to go ask Sam for tips, but we can learn from these vampires."

"I don't know..." he almost whined, his eyes landing on the huge house. "It's dangerous."

"How do you think they feel?"

She was right – the sentiments voiced by her Beta were echoed through the minds of every single vampire in the house. Carlisle hadn't made it an order. He hadn't even convinced himself that this was a good idea yet. "We need to trust each other," they heard her say.

"Trust them?" Thomas scoffed.

"Yes," she said in a much harder voice that left little room for questions. "Unless you want to get torn apart by an army of newborns, we have to open some sort of relationship with them."

"I'd be happier if the numbers were a bit more balanced," they heard him grumble. "I don't see what their problem is," he bit out suddenly.

"This is their land and their rules," Bella hissed quietly. "We are _guests, _and we will make the most of it."

They couldn't argue with her word. She was right. Should anything happen, the twelve vampires would be more than capable of immobilising them and killing them. Instincts were strong and prevalent, but if Isabella and Thomas were willing to put themselves out there then they would do the same.

–

It wasn't something any of them had ever thought they'd be doing on a damp Tuesday, at around eight o'clock when all manner of little critters were stirring from their dens. Feet were hesitant and arms were folded and ready – ready for anything that the next minute would throw at them.

No-one wanted to be there and yet there they were, spread over the Cullen's back lawn in tense silence. Even Bella wasn't sure how to proceed. She was used to vampires oozing arrogance and charm, but these golden eyed Cold Ones were awkward and their eyes revealed their caution. At her word, Thomas remained at her side in his human form. He was about as enthusiastic as the Denali's looked, but he had faith in Isabella and her madness.

"This communication thing is going great," Thomas whispered, coughing in a poor attempt to cover his words. She landed an elbow in his ribs and sighed as she looked over at Edward. He was with his family. Like in the the clearing, they had decided to stay separate though Bella had hoped such divides could be dropped. She didn't want to push her luck though.

The Cullen's and Denali's stood on the patio, close to the house there they felt the safest. Thomas had noticed and wanted to shake them. Bella was waiting – waiting for them to either leave or step forward. This was a turning point. She had voiced her willingness loudly, deliberately and with purpose because she wanted to push their boundaries. She wasn't asking for friendship, but a mutual respect of their abilities, not fear.

Her eyes went to each of them, trying to gauge their feelings from their facial expressions. She wasn't used to vampires being so open.

She found Jasper staring right back at her – his golden eyes relaxed but challenging, his body language deliberately laid back. He was her in. She wondered why he was so much more open than the rest of his coven. She felt Thomas stiffen beside her as Jasper stepped from his family and into the centre of the large chasm of space between them.

She smiled, just a little, and left Thomas and joined Jasper. She couldn't help but feel just a little hopeful, and a little proud. With only a few feet between them, the pair eyed each other speculatively. "No teeth," Bella offered quietly.

"No claws," Jasper mirrored immediately.

"Within reason."

He raised his eyebrows but nodded his agreement. She took two steps back before phasing right in front of them all, landing gracefully on four paws and shaking out her fur. It shone beautifully, but that was just Edward's opinion. Jasper was distracted by her claws that were at least five inches long and dagger sharp. He felt her spike of amusement as she followed his gaze and he let it soothe him – it wasn't often he found someone with such straight forward emotions as Isabella.

Poor Alice was left trembling and tittering, clutching Emmett's arm. Eyes were focussed, minds ready and bodies on the verge of battle. They were ready to defend, to attack, to do anything necessary to keep their brother safe. Edward struggled with the thoughts of his family and the way they were sizing Bella up. He equally struggled with watching his brother crouch aggressively at his mate.

Bella didn't crouch but her eyes were unwavering and glued to Jasper. It was unnerving. No-one breathed, no-one dared to stir an inch. Thomas' heart pounded in his chest for his Alpha, for his best friend who stood inches from her death.

Edward knew how fast Bella was but she was no match for Jasper in close combat. With only a few feet between them and less than a second to react, she really didn't stand a chance. His arms were around her neck and they ploughed into the ground, ruining Esme's perfect turf. Edward growl was far more aggressive than anyone had heard of him, and Alice's replying snarl was simply carnal. Thomas was uncomfortable, itching to phase and protect Bella but she was fighting back and her jaws suddenly clamped on his arm and with a flick of her neck he was thrown through the air.

He landed lithely, keeping his balance. He didn't stop. He was propelling himself towards her again and she was running at him. He dodged around her as she lunged for his chest, and he spun and swiped to grab her but she was too low and her sharp teeth were at his ankle and he his the ground with a thud with the smelly, crushing weight of the wolf bearing down on his chest, her teeth bared at his throat.

Her eyes danced with amusement as she clambered off him and sat herself down as he retained his dignity. He smirked at her pride and the gentle swish of her tail. "It's okay," he said to Alice and her black eyes. He knew no words would soothe Edward. His eyes returned to Bella. "You need to be faster."

She coughed up an indignant laugh. They went again.

"Claws," was all Thomas said, his arms folded and his brow furrowed as he watched. He had no intention of helping a vampire become a better killer, but he was all for improving Bella and himself. They had paused again but his critique was met with an eye roll from Bella – it was what he always told her.

She preferred the strength of her jaw and her crushing teeth to the claws, that seemed meagre in comparison. The fight wasn't to be won but Bella felt a little embarrassed that Jasper was thrashing her ass, metaphorically of course. The fourth time she picked herself up from the floor she could feel her annoyance growing with herself, and Thomas saw it too. He knew Bella wasn't letting go, was holding back to pacify the vampires and make them feel safer.

"Stop being a pussy," he commented idly, earning a loud savage snarl from Bella as her yellow eyes glared over at him. It only made the vampires more nervous. "You can kick his ass, no problem."

_Perhaps, _she thought deflatedly, but that wasn't the point of this particular exercise.

"You wanted us to learn how we all fight," Jasper said quietly to her.

She bowed her head a little and they ran at one another again, but it was different. Bella's paws beat a little harder on the ground, her breathes were shorter and shallower and more controlled and when she leaped at him and he dodged, her claws reached out and gripped him and he found himself grounded within moments.

"Impressive," he commented as he got to his feet. She didn't respond.

They pushed further and further out. Bella was a good long distance runner, but not so good on the quick turn arounds and he could see that. Irina stepped forward, voicing her intentions to take her turn with Bella. The wolf was wary. She knew nothing of this blond, only that she was _family _with Tanya and that was enough to taint Bella's opinion.

Irina wasn't half as fast as Jasper and lacked the finesse in her blows. Unlike Bella, she preferred to use her hands and damage. Bella found herself on the defensive for most of the time, and wanted to remind the vampire about the _within reason _part of the claws agreement. It was clear to everyone that Irina was out for blood and Jasper could feel her ire growing every time Bella danced just beyond her reach.

Golden eyes darkened to black but before they could step in Bella struck. Irina had been slow – still facing away from a slash that should have landed Bella with spilled guts. She was too emotional – too caught up in her own head, and when Bella's teeth latched onto her hair and dragged her to the ground, she screamed and thrashed but she would have been dead had a wolf actually gotten to her.

"Do you know how many vampires' we've killed because of their obsession with their hair?" Thomas chortled as the blond stomped back to her family, her hair a wet, slobbery, matted mess that clung to her shoulders. "Tie it back."

Irina had managed to knick Bella in the leg, but it only bled for a few seconds before the wound healed. The grass wiped the blood from her fur before it could dry. Irina was spitting to the others about her hair, her clothes and the disgusting _stench _Bella had left all over her. It was pathetic and Bella couldn't help but laugh, her choked wolfy laugh at her expense.

She stepped aside. Tanya and Kate were glaring and their wishes and torture plans to one another, and Bella thought it would be prudent to step aside then before all hell broke loose. Instead, Tanya went against Emmett. It was interesting to watch a vampire fight another of its kind and not something Bella or Thomas had ever seen. It was rather like watching two cats fighting – a lot of back and forth and threats but not much action.

One by one they stepped forward. Amongst family, it seemed like just a bit of fun to scrap in the back yard had it not been for the keen eyes watching them. With her still determined to build some sort of bridge, Bella had returned to her human form to stand with Thomas. They watched with quiet whispers and roving eyes. They did the same to one another and the others in the Pack – weeding out the weakness and making them stronger.

The whispers hadn't gone unnoticed but even straining, the words slipped by unknown.

Edward stepped forward and eyes turned to Bella. She didn't react in the slightest. Even Thomas wondered what she would do, but she seemed completely at ease.

She wasn't.

She watched Edward stand in front of Carmen and knew that, as a mind reader, he would be fine but that wasn't the point. Her place was right there between them, protecting him, attacking her, pushing him to safety. Logically she knew they were family, friends and wouldn't harm one another but her instincts told her otherwise.

She understood why Alice had wanted to leap at her.

No-one thought Carmen would even get a touch. She was so small and unassuming, with her doe eyes and kind smile. It was unexpected when, suddenly as Edward lunged left out of her grasp, her hand clamped down on his forearm and she threw him over her like a rag doll. His family roared with laughter as he lay dazed on the ground. Even Thomas chuckled quietly.

Bella waited for him to get to his feet before expelling the breath she'd been holding. His eyes searched for hers and, though his smiled was intended to soothe her worries, he could see the anxiety reflecting back at him. He bowed out quietly and no-one questioned him as Carlisle stepped up as his replacement. His family laughed and whistled as the quiet doctor faced the motherly figure of the Denali coven.

Edward did not return to his family, but chose to stand at Bella's side. Thomas only smirked and kept his eyes on the fighting vampires. Eyes flicked over to watch but the dual between the vampires was too amusing not to pay attention to. No-one tutted as Bella grabbed Edward's hand and laced their fingers together. No-one glared as he raised their entwined hands and pressed a kiss to the back of her hand. She blushed and he smiled.

"Honestly," Thomas groaned with a roll of his eyes. He was joking and his smile was of only happiness. It had been too long since Bella had found anything to break her from the role of Alpha. He had hoped she would take up knitting or fishing, but she doubted a hobby could have lit up her face like Edward did.

His thumb stroked the backs of her knuckles as they watched Carlisle take Carmen down, only to catch her at the very last moment from falling flat on her face. He pulled her back to her feet and the pair hugged with laughter bouncing between them.

"It's weird," Thomas whispered, leaning in towards Bella.

"_Family, _remember?" Bella whispered back.

Even as close as Edward was, the words were barely caught. He saw the annoyed looks from his family, wondering if the wolves were plotting or being nasty and he wished he could convey their words without looking ridiculous.

"She needs to start being a savage," Bella mumbled to her Beta.

"They're so tame," Thomas said looking over all the vampires. "I mean, they can take care of themselves, sure, but these newborns aren't going to be worried about hair and a bit of dirt."

"They'll learn," Bella replied with worried eyes.

"I'm not carrying anyone."

Edward kept his eyes ahead, not revealing that he had heard the exchange or his thoughts on the matter. As shocking as it was, he found himself agreeing with Thomas. Stood with him and Bella as they analysed and criticised, removing the familiarity and protectiveness he felt, they were pitiful excuses for vampires.

"I did the same thing," Bella defended after a few minutes. Emmett stepped forward, cracking his knuckles gleefully as he crouched before a ready Carlisle. The pair collided in a deafening _bang _that made them all flinch. They fell to the floor where they sprang apart and circled one another.

"You're trying to establish a rapport with them – that's understandable." Thomas dismissed. "They try too hard to be anything but what they are."

"Can you blame us?" Edward said suddenly, unpeeling his eyes from Emmett's fist as it flew at Carlisle's chest. He kept his voice level with theirs, hidden from the others. It was clear from the wide eyes looking back at him, they hadn't been aware that he was listening.

"Yes," Thomas said simply. "You think we want to be giant wolves, stuck in teenage bodies until we inevitably get killed in battle?"

"It's different," Edward argued softly. "We instinctively want to kill humans."

"And we get pissed at the slightest thing and want to rip our own mothers face off," Thomas shrugged. "Yet here we both stand, neither ripping anyone's face off, or killing humans. I don't see your problem."

How could he compare a vampire to a wolf? One was a natural murderer, the other a born protector.

"You've done the best with the hand you've been dealt," Bella said sternly between them. The last thing she needed was her imprint and Beta arguing. "We just don't get why you don't embrace what you are-" she said to Edward from turning to Thomas and hissing. "Back the fuck off," to him.

"Would you embrace being a vampire?" Edward fired back, his own temper rising.

"I would like to think so," Bella answered honestly. "If I had your level of control, lived on a diet of animal blood and had your _family, _I think I'd be quite-"

She stopped suddenly and Edward felt her hand shake as he held it. Her heartbeat thudded in her chest, faster and harder as her breath pushed out of her like she'd been hit in the stomach. "Bella?" he found himself saying as her eyes slipped shut and she whispered a quiet curse.

Beside her, Thomas shuddered and shook out his shoulders with wide eyes. "What the hell was that?"

Bella opened her eyes again, worry threatening to spill over as she looked, first to Thomas, then to Edward and finally, to Carlisle who, like everyone else, had stopped to see what was going on. "The others are coming."

"So that-" Thomas began curiously.

But then she was pushing away Edward's hand and phasing dangerously close to him. Carlisle and Emmett retreated back to the family but she had no time for them. Thomas phased only a few seconds later and the pair were locked in silent conversations while the vampires could only sit and wait.

Thomas could hear them – the thoughts and emotions swirling as though they were his own. Being a wolf had never been quite as lonely as it had been for the past day or so. His mind had been so empty and void of clutter and noise. He could hear three more voices, all distressed and angry, all furious and agitated and it flowed through them all.

Thomas whined, his ears flattening to his head as he stared off into the forest. Edward expected Bella to snarl or growl, urging him to be quiet but she looked in equal distress. Her ears flat to her head, she reared her head back and howled loud, deep and long up into the sky. Thomas joined her, and the harmony sent shivers down Tanya's spine.

_More?_

Eyes turned to Carlisle, urging him to banish them, to put an end to all of this. Two was acceptable, at a push, but more? It was too much.

As Bella and Thomas' howls cut off suddenly, they got to their feet, tails swinging nervously left and right as they turned their backs and looked off into the woods. Howls rang out – distant and quiet, around thirty miles away, and suddenly Thomas had taken off, running in the direction of the howls and leaving Bella behind.

Her eyes turned to Carlisle – big, yellow and wild, she was at his mercy.

"They are welcome here," he said without worry, ignoring the outrage that overwhelmed the ranks of his family around him. He kept his eyes on Bella as she bowed her head low, lower than he'd ever seen before before turning to Edward. He had never touched her as a wolf – he'd never dared, always fearing that, in this form, her instincts were stronger.

But they were coming closer – close enough for the vampires to catch their breathes and soft, whispering steps. Her request was a simple one, and she was pleased when, a mile out, all four obliged immediately. They all turned to the forest as they got closer – sixteen steps turning to eight, a huffs turning to curses. In front of them, Bella phased and headed down the garden.

Across the river, to the right of the garden she saw Thomas approach, his face ashen and grave as he shook his head. He, too, had seen what they had been through, and though Bella wanted to cry and weep for her Pack she had to be strong for them too. She nodded to Thomas as he walked past her and back to the Cullen's.

Ryan and Kyle came first – two brothers, only two years apart. They were both ridiculously tall and wide, with thick black hair and brown, tanned skin. They looked like a pair of line backers, with muscles that threatening to burst the seems on their shirts with every movement. Their faces were grim – lips pressed into hard lines, and red eyes from tears they refused to shed now.

"It's good to see you," Kyle said, his voice breaking as he wrapped her in a tight hug that lifted her off the floor. She'd never been overly touchy with her Pack, but had made it clear that she was there for them no matter what. Kyle was younger than her by eleven years, and looked to her like an older sister, so she didn't care when her shirt rode up, or when she felt his hot tears on her neck. Her arms wrapped around him easily.

Ryan sidled up beside them, eyes heavy and dark with exhaustion and tears. The eldest of the pair, he carried a large rucksack on his back and, when Kyle finally released Bella back to her feet, the pair shared a brief, but tight embrace while Kyle wiped his eyes. "Good to be back," he said with a ghost of a smile. "Kim's just behind us," he said, his expression dropping as his eyes filled with tears yet again. "She tried to get back on the Res, but they chased her off..."

Bella felt a stab of pity for the girl. Kim was still a mile and a half out and taking her time, so Bella smiled as much as she could and said, "You want to sleep?" Both of them shook their heads. "We're..." Bella began, wondering how to explain the circle of vampires further up the lawn. "Attempting a bonding exercise."

Ryan barked out a laugh and, despite his deflated spirits looked at her with a familiar amusement. "We have missed you, Bells."

It made her smile. "I'll find Kim – Thomas will explain everything to you..." she said with a small nod, before the pair walked past her and towards Thomas, who lingered between them and the vampires.

As much as she didn't want to leave them alone with the vampires, Bella had to find Kim. The looks from her brothers had given her reason to worry. She was a mile away from the house – crouched underneath a large tree, her head in her hands as she sobbed. Bella wasn't so good with feelings and what not, but she understood the pain of leaving a family behind and Kim was so young.

"Hey," Bella said from a distance, giving the girl a chance to collect herself. Instead, Kim peered at her through swollen red eyes and just kept crying. Bella remembered what her brother had said – that she'd tried to get back on the Reservation, tried to return to Lana.

"I'm sorry," she stuttered as she got to her feet and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. It made no difference and tears fell relentlessly. Bella went to her and pulled her into a tight, bone breaking hug. She remembered when she'd first left the Reservation – how she'd lay in the woods and cried until Edward had found her, how she'd felt so ashamed and lost. Neah Bay was all they knew.

"You have nothing to apologise for," Bella found herself saying.

"I just..." Kim said with a small hiccup. Her face was mottled and wet with he tears, her usually beautiful complexion marred by her crippling sadness. "I didn't get to say goodbye to him."

Her imprint.

Not only was she the one of the youngest, but she had also Imprinted only a week after becoming a wolf. Her imprint was still fresh and being apart was going to be difficult. "He will understand," she tried to soothe her, but she shook her head, sending drops of tears to the grass.

"You didn't hear what they said about you and Thomas – if they believe it..." she cut off with another sob.

"James loves you," Bella said strongly, taking Kim by the arms. She tried to be a little softer. "He knows you wouldn't abandon him. People aren't stupid..." she finished quietly. "We'll be back home soon."

Her words soothed her a little, but Bella knew nothing less than James himself would make her feel any better. Her tears slowed and she sniffed as she suddenly blushed. "Are we really staying with the vampires?"

"Yeah," Bella replied quietly. "It's okay though."

"Do you mind if I..." Kim said sheepishly.

"Do what you have to-" Bella nodded with a kind smile. "Stay within range though. We had a few newborns track through a few days ago."

Bella returned to the Cullen's with the shoulder of her shirt dampened by Kim' salty tears. She kept an eye on the thudding of her pack mate, making sure she was okay and not in trouble. She felt the responsibility and worry increase three fold. As worried as she'd been, when she arrived back at the house she was pleased to see that Kyle and Ryan had joined Thomas beside Edward and that the sparring had resumed as normal.

"Keep an eye on her," she said to Thomas as she stepped between the gap he'd left between himself and Edward. Thomas nodded but kept his eyes on Esme and Tanya as they danced around one another.

"It's getting worse over there," he commented quietly. "More will come."

Bella didn't want to think about it.

"Is everything okay?" Edward muttered, seeing the distant look in her eyes and worry lines on her forehead. He could smell the salty tears of another wolf on her – a fourth addition to her growing Pack. He thought she'd be happy to get her pack back.

"Some struggle more than others," she said simply with a shrug of her shoulders.

The vampires were seeing the benefits of the exercise, and though they remained wary of the wolves keen eyes, were learning more than they'd expected. With Bella and her wolves quiet in the wake of their reunion, the vampires began to point out mistakes and faults to correct. It was easier to take from family than a supposed enemy.

Half an hour later, Bella stiffened suddenly. "I'm going," Thomas said before taking off down the lawn in the direction Kim had faded from, phasing as he leaped over the river and darting through the trees.

Edward's eyes spoke the question behind his lips. "I told her to stay within range," she explained shortly. "After the newborns the other day, I don't think we should be roaming on our own."

"You've had newborns?" Kyle asked suddenly, his eyes still red but clearly this was news to him.

"I thought they'd have hit everyone," Bella said with a frown. "You didn't get anything?"

"Not a peep – and we've been on patrol for four days straight," he said with a nasty glower.

Bella remembered what Thomas had said – _patrols were punishments._

"Was everyone okay?" he asked his eyes going to the ranks of the vampires.

"A few injuries but we were fine," she said with a shrug.

"And you're not patrolling?" he asked with a sudden grin. "But you love patrols."

She rolled her eyes as his playful stab, because it was true. Whenever anything happened, the first thing she did was tighten patrols. Christmas? Double patrols. It was snowing? Join patrols. "It's not my land to control."

Ryan snorted, his smirk so similar to his brother. "I can't imagine that ever stopping you."

"You should have said something," Edward said, grabbing her hand again as it rested at her side and giving it a squeeze. He saw her cheeks stain red and smiled, ignoring the eye roll he caught from Emmett. "It's a good idea."

_Of course it is, _Bella thought. As a protector of not only a Pack, but an entire reservation she was hard wired to spot weaknesses and plug them. "It's not my place-" she argued with a scowl. She didn't want to discuss her lacking safety precautions with a newborn army on the way. It wasn't as if she had enough wolves to put together a patrol anyway, but now with the additions of Kim, Ryan and Kyle they might have to make some arrangements. It was political dance she was playing with the vampires – wanting to keep the peace while pushing her side was not easy.

Edward said nothing more of it. Ryan and Kyle had no intention of joining in the sparring and Bella was pleased. She was sure that Tanya and the others would have surely collapsed at the very idea.

Slowly, they wound down and when Alice and Kate returned to their family no-one else stepped forward. Ryan yawned, loudly and widely and Bella smiled and shook her head. What a way to introduce them. "This is Ryan and Kyle – their sister Kim has also joined them."

The boy men nodded their greetings but said nothing. She felt an elbow in her side and Edward was smiling down at her. Sighing deeply, she looked at Carlisle and said, "I think we should start patrolling the area."

His face dropped into a frown and his family shifted uncomfortably around him. "After the incident with the newborns a few days ago, I think we should keep our eyes open. We can rotate-" she said, meaning her pack. "Three on, two off."

There was no way three wolves could patrol the Cullen's territory, never mind two. They'd be exhausted. "We'll make up the numbers."

Bella couldn't hide her surprise but was quick to bounce back. "With a four mile radius we'd need seven to eight to be sure."

"Okay," he said with a nod, ignoring the glares from those around him. Edward watched with a proud smirk as his father took control for one of the first times.

"We can take the east and south-"

Carlisle's smile was broad as he said, "I'm sure we can mingle without issue."

There were plenty of issues, and they stood all around him spitting with rage and indignant ignorance. But between the two of them, they nodded and parted ways with a mutual understanding. A few minutes later and Kim and Thomas broke through the tree line. It was obvious to everyone that the small sandy coloured wolf was upset if not from her low head, to her red, bloodshot eyes that she kept on the ground.

Bella didn't ask her to phase, and knew that a wolf exterior was easier to hide behind. The vampires broke off and Ryan and Kyle went to their sister as fresh tears began to fall. Thomas took them across the river while Bella lingered with Edward closer to the house.

"We used to love this," Ryan said as Thomas explained their living arrangements. Bella was glad they weren't too upset about sleeping outside – not that she thought any of them would prefer to step inside the Cullen's house. In the summer, when the only relief from the smothering heat was the damp sand of the beach that sat at the bottom of Neah Bay, the wolves would sleep on the smooth sand underneath the stars.

"Are you coming?" Bella asked Edward, looking up at him.

"To _patrol?" _he asked, saying the word oddly. "I can't say I've ever patrolled before."

"Well boy, are you in for some fun," Thomas said as he walked towards them. "Bella loves them, especially when you do it day after day, year after year," he said sarcastically as Kyle and Ryan sniggered as they sat on the floor with their sister.

"Will you shut up," Bella snapped with a smile. "You make me sound like a tyrant. Patrols keep our people safe."

"Yeah," Thomas said with a roll of his eyes. Clearly this was an old conversation. "I guess you're dragging me along too."

"They need to get some sleep," Bella said quietly, her eyes going to the three siblings laid beneath the trees, already halfway to unconsciousness. "And we need to get the lay of the land."

"And how exactly are we going to do this... together," Thomas said with raised eyebrows as he motioned to Edward. "It's not like we can communicate with one another."

"Then we'll just have to trust each other, won't we?"

Thomas scoffed but didn't dare argue. Half an hour later and Bella stood alone four miles North of the Cullen's house. To her left ran Jasper, around five miles away and to her left, Kate. None had spoken a word but each had gone their separate ways without any difficulty. They had to navigate the very public, very open and flat land of Forks as the four mile radius encapsulated most of the town as well. Thomas had gone South with Edward and Rosalie and his mind had given an amusing commentary of the snappy exchange between the _siblings. _

_I think I might have to split these two up at this rate, _Thomas said wryly as Rosalie hissed and swore endlessly at Edward as they ran the four miles out. Bella told him to let them deal with it themselves and stay firmly out of it. The last thing they needed was any of them accusing a wolf of attacking one of their family.

Hours passed as Bella ran back and forth, overlapping with Kate and Jasper every now and again. The rain began to fall, heavy and icy cold but they held their ground firmly. She could hear Thomas' mind cataloguing the terrain, from the small slip of a stream to the sudden drop that fell thirty feet to further forest. Morning gave way to afternoon and the sun began to fall in the sky.

She darted across a narrow road and bounded back into the woods. It was unnerving knowing that people didn't know what she was, would be terrified of her huge, hulking form. In Neah Bay she was a hero, a symbol of protection. They weren't used to hiding like this, keeping out of sight like they were dirty beasts.

Thomas echoed her thoughts and was glad he had only thick, tense trees to navigate.

But suddenly his mind switched, and she smelled the scent as if she were stood next to him. The stench of vampire was impossible to ignore. Off he went, darting through the woods but it was Bella who let loose a loud, gutteral howl to alert everyone else. Thomas had to remember that only she could hear him.

_Drop back, _she told him sharply. _Wait for the others._

_They're too far away, _He argued as he powered on towards the scent. He could hear the vampires steps. _We can't let them through._

Bella wanted to set her teeth into him. _You're going to get yourself killed! _She cried in fury as she tore through the woods after him. Kate and Jasper ran only a few steps behind her but she was too fast and quickly pulled ahead. They went passed the house – and the three wolves were waiting and joined their Alpha.

_Back down -_they all chorused but Thomas was being an ass.

They were upon them within moments. Thomas stood snarling and baring his teeth at a lone vampire – a tall male with a black leather jacket and tatty jeans, dirty, long brown hair that fell around his shoulders and one of the more rugged vampiric faces she'd seen. It was his blazing crimson eyes that had her stomach uneasy. His body language was relaxed and none threatening but Thomas was channelling too much anger, too much bitterness over the past few days.

She snapped her jaws and narrowly missed his ear as he stepped back. Her glare was heated as he backed away and joined Kyle, Kim and Ryan behind her. The vampire looked curious and even smiled as he watched the small brown wolf dominate the much larger one who had been on the verge of ripping his throat out.

Only a second later, Jasper and Kate were upon them and the vampire's face broke out into a wide grin and let out a loud laugh as he stepped forward and embraced Jasper with a hard slap on the back. The pair laughed and smiled and mumbled their greetings and wishes of keeping in touch more.

"Guard dogs?" the vampire said, tilting his head towards Bella.

"Werewolves," Jasper corrected lightly. "We're allied with them."

"Shit," the vampire hissed with a small laugh. "Werewolves," he repeated with disbelief.

"This is Garret," Jasper said to Bella and Kate. "He's an old friend of mine, and _not _an enemy."

Bella phased, there and then and Garret laughed because it was too ridiculous. The wolf was just a small teenage girl. "Bella is the Alpha of the Pack," Jasper added, hoping his friend would play nice. They were all dripping wet but Garret didn't seem to mind.

"Bella," he said as she approached him. He stood a foot taller than her and twice her width. He could snap her like a twig. "Well aren't you the cutest."

She said nothing but the wolves behind her growled warningly. "You plan on helping us?" Bella asked flatly.

"At your service ma'am," he said with a mock bow that made Bella's lips twitch just a little.

"Then I won't kill you," she said before phasing and suddenly towering over him, with fiery yellow eyes and bore through him. She had met vampires like him before and knew he meant no harm, if not just a little too arrogant for her liking. Her words made him laugh yet again, but his eyes revealed his worry as she padded back to her pack and took off back towards the house.

Jasper punched him hard in the arm. "Don't be a bastard – it's been difficult enough without your smart ass."

* * *

Let me know what you think guys! Your reviews keep me sane!


	7. Chapter 7

Back at the house Kyle, Kim and Ryan took over patrols in an effort to let Bella and Thomas get some much needed sleep. Yet again the weather had turned unbearably cold and they feared sleep would elude them once again as they huddled beneath the trees.

_I don't like him, _Thomas grumbled, remembering how he'd laughed at them.

_We don't have to like any of them, _Bella reasoned with a wide yawn. Even with the cold and rain she was quickly falling asleep. _We only have to tolerate them until this is over._

_This will never be over... _Thomas whined.

Bella didn't want to think about it. They needed to remain hopeful, especially with Kim listening and still emotional. Thankfully Thomas managed to curb his thoughts away from the depressive subject of their living conditions and neighbours. She'd already laid into him for running off in front without knowing the situation, knowing his pack were too far away to be any help if Garret had been hostile.

Eventually they fell into a light sleep and rested as much as they could with the thoughts of their pack mates patrolling running through their heads. The rain gave up in the wee hours of the morning and the others returned, sodden and cold as they collapsed beside Thomas and Bella. Tanya, Eleazar and Esme returned, sour and dripping as Irina, Carlisle, Alice, Emmett, Garret and Carmen headed out to give the wolves a rest.

None of them stirred at the sound of an engine, not even at the sound of the back door opening but only when the wind blew the smell of piping hot pizza towards them. It was quite comical how they all peeled their eyes open and looked at Edward like he was their Messiah. They phased quickly but no-one jumped up to grab them from him so he crossed the river and handed them out.

They were all yawning and bleary eyed as they opened the boxes. "I love you," Kyle all but groaned to Edward. Kim giggled but was already shoving the first slice in her mouth while Bella stretched her arms above her head and wiped the sleep from her eyes.

"Two each?" Bella noticed with raised eyebrows, noting the ten pizza boxes.

"We can't have you disappearing," he said lightly, repeating his words from the days before.

"So the imprint is going well," Ryan said with a smile on his face and grease all over his mouth.

"Don't-" Thomas whined playfully. "There's only so many times I can watch them bone," he said only half joking. "I had a dream about him last night."

This news had the entire pack cackling raucously, snorting and rolling around on the floor while Bella blushed furiously behind her pizza box. "That was you!" Kim exclaimed through her own laughter. "You asshole!"

Edward sat smiling, but a little clueless until they settled down enough to explain. "We share one mind – so when one of us has a sex dream..."

Oh.

Lovely.

"What's happening with Garret?" Bella asked suddenly.

"He's patrolling right now," Edward answered.

"His hunting," she clarified with a roll of her eyes.

"He's not hunting anywhere near Forks or Port Angeles."

"Hm," Bella grumbled unhappily before digging into the pizza in her lap. She didn't like the idea of him hunting anywhere. It defeated the point of them uniting to protect their people if they were going to go killing them anyway. But she knew this wasn't something she could exactly enforce so she just had to put up with it as quietly as she could.

"I heard about your little... spat, with him," Edward said quietly.

"He called me _cute," _she said with narrowed eyes. She was a fierce, trained, highly skilled warrior, not some slobbering puppy to pat and coo over.

"You said you wanted to kill him," Edward fired back with a small laugh.

"I don't like being called _cute,_" she defended. "Plus it's not like I'm actually going to kill him."

Later, when Kim and Thomas had gone to patrol and Bella sat in the sun with her brothers she remembered her earlier questions. "What's it like at home?"

The question was quiet and they had no obligation to answer. She did feel responsible for the fall out, and guilty that her pack were being forced to chose which side to take. "Hell," Ryan answered with a heavy sigh. "Lana caught us _thinking _about leaving and put all three of us on patrol for four days. The only reason we got away is because she fell asleep and we ran straight here."

"What is she thinking?" Bella muttered. "I always knew she didn't like me as Alpha but this is ridiculous."

"She's not letting people see their imprints either – duty comes first."

"Duty?" Bella repeated, rolling her head to look at him.

"Fixing walls, patrols, council meetings..." Kyle listed off quickly.

Of course, being a wolf was a duty. They were there to protect their people and all that went with it - that was their job. But it had been an honour to be a wolf, a joy to be one of the pack. It was a perk, not a burden. They were revered not punished. "And the _orders,_"Kyle went on throwing his arm over his eyes.

The orders were the one part of the role she'd never really used. The idea of forcing people to do things against their will wasn't a power she ever wanted to utilise. She'd used it only a handful of times, when a wolf refused to listen in a dangerous situation, or when people were at risk.

"No-one is allowed in or out of Neah Bay," Kyle said quietly. "Not even for trade. They're saying that you're _stealing _us and that it's not safe outside the reservation."

Bella just sighed.

They grew restless only a little while later and retreated only a little further down stream to bathe and wash. The smell of grime and sweat was a little overwhelming and so, after retrieving the shampoo and soap from behind a tree, they headed around the curve of the river out of sight of the house.

None of them were shy and it was just skin. It was a warm day but the water was still cold as they dipped beneath the surface to rinse their hair. Kim was perhaps a little more reserved in front of her brothers but relaxed when she realised the laughter and playful splashed were nothing to be frightened of. It felt nice to be clean, even if they lay back on the wet, dirty ground to dry off.

They pulled their clothes back on and Kim was trying desperately to wrestle her hair into place without much luck. Bella felt her hair, which had deteriorated into a mass of wet, heavy curls and thick knots and shrugged it off. Her hair had never been very submissive.

Edward was sat on the edge of the river, with Emmett and Jasper either side of him when they returned. She tensed and felt the others do the same around her. Her feet slowed and, without even realising it, she'd become defensive and ready. Jasper felt it but they had predicted such a reaction.

This was Cullen land and vampire territory but this side of the river, the small fifteen feet of lawn was wolf territory. This was their safety, but if Bella wanted to build bridges then she had to take those risks.

"Edward," she said with wary eyes. Their legs were crossed and shoulders relaxed. Nothing about them was threatening in the slightest but their presence put her on edge. Edward smiled and she saw a brush in his lap. A peace offering. She knew her hair was a mess.

He tossed it to her easily. She always did so well with tense situations – Tanya, Garret, even Sam to a degree. She never revealed her hand, never showed her emotion but he'd never wanted to be on the receiving end of her cold, black stare. Her hand caught the brush reactively and, after a moment, she turned and handed it to Kim who took it with a small, but grateful thank you to Edward and his brothers.

They were vampires, but this was Edward. This was the _man _who had given her everything and she had reciprocated willingly. She felt no fear of him, but his brothers were different. She knew that Emmett had spoken against her relentlessly and very loudly. Jasper, on the other hand, had said very little but, what little he had said, had been positive.

Trust.

Had she not been pushing for trust only the day previous?

She understood, suddenly, why the vampires were so cautious. It wasn't so easy when it wasn't on your terms. It took more than she'd ever admit to sit on the other side of that river. She had to force herself to relax and calm. Their little slice of home had been invaded, and as her pack sat around her, she knew they were defending it.

"So..." Bella began, clearing her throat and keeping her eyes on Edward.

"We thought, since you're basically one of the family now," Emmett began loudly with with a small smile that felt ill placed on his great, hulking frame. "We might as well get to know one another."

Bella had no urge to _get to know _Edward's family.

She regarded the vampire closely for a short moment. "Okay," she said slowly.

"How old are you?" he asked immediately. The rest of them sat tense and trying to force civility and calm, but he seemed to be immune to it all. His eyes were some of the most expressive Bella had ever seen on a vampire, and his words were so full of enthusiasm and passion that it was difficult not to be endeared to him.

"Thirty four," she answered quickly. "You?"

"A hundred this year," he said with a broad smile that filled his entire face. "You have much of a family?"

"Dad's dead and my mum abandoned me at birth on my Grandpa's doorstep," Bella replied easily. "You have any more relatives?" she asked glancing back at the house.

"None as close as the Denali's, but we have allies everywhere," Jasper stepped in quietly. "We get back in touch every ten years or so."

"Do you like being a wolf?" Emmett injected quickly after his brother had stopped speaking.

"It has its perks," Bella said with a small shrug. "Obviously there are downsides. You like being a vampire?"

"More than most," he said honestly, his eyes shifting to Edward but she'd already had one minor argument with him about his opinion of himself. "You like being Alpha ?"

"Yes," Bella said immediately. "I don't like being told what to do."

Edward chuckled and she smiled as they looked at each other.

"What would you do if someone else wanted to be Alpha?"

"We are a democracy," Bella said simply. "If Thomas wanted to be Alpha, I'd think about it and if I agreed and the others did too, I'd step aside."

"You don't think he could do it?" Emmett asked without hesitation.

"It's not a matter of what he can do," Bella said sharply. "I know Thomas would make a good Alpha. But I have hundreds of people to protect. My decisions can end lives. It's a lot of pressure. Not many people want the job," she admitted a little softer.

"But you like it."

"I'm a control freak," she shrugged and her pack all scoffed behind her.

"That's putting it lightly," Thomas mumbled to Kim as they laughed.

"I like things to work. If I can improve them then I will," Bella clarified with a smile to her Beta.

"What will happen after these newborns are dealt with?" Emmett pressed.

"If both Lana and I survive, and depending on the state of the council and Makah Pack we will either have to remain outside the reservation or be reinstated."

"Will you be Alpha?"

Bella sighed. "It depends on what everyone else wants. I doubt the council will let me walk back onto the reservation after kicking me out so dramatically and smearing my name."

"You can stay here," Emmett offered. "I'm sure we could get used to the smell."

His brutal honesty and sincerity had won her over without her even realising it, and she found herself smiling. "You do stink," she argued weakly before sobering up. "If Kyle and Ryan are right, more wolves will leave and join us."

"That's a good thing though," Jasper said with a frown. "Your pack will grow stronger."

"I had no choice when I left," Bella argued with a surprising amount of passion. "They've all left family and lives behind. If I could order them all back knowing they'd be accepted, then I would."

"Thankfully you don't do orders," Kim grumbled as she pulled at some grass.

"Why could you just walk away when Lana was shouting at you after you attacked Sam?" Jasper asked in his quiet voice.

"An Alpha never steps down," Bella recited. "She steps aside."

"What does that mean?"

"When I was demoted and they assigned Lana as Alpha, I agreed to follow her direction and obey her orders. I said I would back down and keep the peace," she sighed as she looked at Edward. "Until Sam decided to be an ass. As an Alpha myself, I have no obligation to follow another. I will never be under the full control of another Alpha, unless I chose to follow them willingly."

"That's so cool," Emmett smiled appreciatively.

"That's why it was such a big deal when I was demoted. It's not something so easily done and if we do fix everything, it will never be the same with both myself and Lana in the same pack."

"Why are you so different from the Quileute's," Emmett said suddenly and Bella was left a little dizzy by his sudden switch in subject.

"Because we're completely different people?" she laughed shortly.

"Well you're both Native Indian Tribes who just happen to explode into giant, vampire killing wolves," Emmett laughed and looked at Edward for support. "You can't be surprised by the comparison!"

"We don't kill innocent vampires," Bella breathed quietly. The three vampires just sat and stared at her. "We don't attack pointlessly. When a vampire approaches our land, we try and talk to them and explain our situation. If they chose to make a game out of it, or ignore our warnings, then we will do what we have to do to protect our people."

"You _talk _to vampires?" Jasper repeated slowly.

"Vampires aren't stupid, and most don't want to get torn apart by a pack of wolves," Bella justified.

They couldn't help but be impressed. "So you have the same instincts as Sam..." Emmett pressed.

"When we first become wolves, _yes _the sight of a vampire makes us want to rip them apart," she said simply, as if she were reading from a menu. "But that's why we train and control ourselves."

–

Garret was a character.

When they returned from their patrol, Bella and Thomas headed out with the same team as yesterday and left Kim, Kyle and Ryan to sleep and entertain themselves. The vampire was a nomad and preferred his own company and the outdoors to the domesticated life of the Cullen's and Denali's. He also didn't seem to hold the same reservations and opinions of the wolves as his new room-mates.

Bella urged the others to keep quiet and, if possible, ignore the vampire when he spoke to them. He was playful and cheeky – but that didn't mean he wasn't a threat and she wasn't about to risk the tenuous treaty with the Cullen's because of a slip of a jaw.

Edward ran south with Bella and Jasper – leaving Thomas to deal with Rosalie and Kate. They ignored him, which he found to be better than the nagging and whining he'd had to put up with between Edward and Rosalie. Thankfully the rain had stopped and they were left with only the cars and prying eyes to dodge, which was easier said than done as a huge furry wolf.

Every now and then he'd cross paths with Bella or Jasper and they would exchange nods and small words. Bella was something to behold in her wolf form. He couldn't say he was attracted to her – she was an animal after all, but she was graceful and smooth, and he respected her as a predator and as his equal. He never wanted to be on the other end of her teeth.

Bella was distracted by her Pack. Garret had woken them with loud laughter and jovial conversations within the house. They had sat grumbling and moaning amongst themselves, sharing their annoyance with Bella and Thomas, both whom told them to remain quiet and passive.

A loud howl rang through the woods and all conversation fell silent. As far out as they were, they all heard it and their steps were halted. Hearts pounded as the wolves got to their feet. The vampires remained in the house.

No wolf returned the call.

Bella turned north, back to the house at full speed and told Thomas to do the same.

_Just one, _Kyle relayed to them as he and his siblings stood, ready to attack or defend as needed. Only one set of paws thudded towards them. The wolf would arrive before both Thomas and Bella – there was nothing they could do about that.

_Ryan take over, _Bella said quickly. _Stay human – keep calm and hear them out._

His mind fell from the collective and she could see through Kyle's eyes, as his brother stepped forwards as a man. The wolf approached from the east. It could be either Quileute or Makah, but they knew the chances of a Quileute coming alone were too slim to consider.

_Another drop out? _Kim wondered as she stood guard behind her brother. Seeing him weak, in his human form while a possible threat approached was difficult. She kept close behind him.

_Maybe, _Thomas thought discordantly.

They saw the wolf through the trees. Their eye sight wasn't as good as a vampires, but not too far behind. They recognised the colouring, the white on the snout and grey tint as Laura. She was a quiet, lovely woman until you pissed her off. She often started fights and left whoever was unlucky enough to annoy her bleeding and tapping out. Kim growled softy as the woman phased within the tree line, her eyes darting to the house of vampires she could undoubtedly hear and smell.

"We're under attack-" she said quickly, her words tripping and falling over one another. Ryan doubted her honesty, but Bella saw the truth in her eyes. "Please – we need your help."

Ryan didn't know what to do.

What if it was a trap?

What if it wasn't and his people, his own family were killed?

Less than a mile out he heard the familiar call of his Alpha and felt his decision solidify. "We will help you," he said coldly. He'd never had much to do with Laura. She was too hard, too angry and much too fiery to ever get close to. She was one of their best fighters and sprinters, but she made a lousy human.

The pair phased again and Laura wasted no time turning and headed back out into the forest, leaving them looking after her retreating form. _Go – I'll catch up, _Bella urged them. Thomas was already ahead of them but would circle round to meet up as a unit. Laura was by no means an enemy, but no-one knew if they were allies or not at this point.

The vampires heard the wolves fast retreating steps, surprisingly soft as they ran east to Neah Bay. It was only a few seconds later they heard the sprinting steps of Bella rushing to catch up with her pack. The vampires did not offer their aid, and Tanya and Emmett went out to replace Thomas and Bella on the patrol.

–

They crossed over into Makah territory with caution, slowing only a little. There were no wolves waiting in ambush. They could smell the vampires – four of them. It was only a mile or so before the trees thinned and disappeared in exchange of familiar buildings and roads they had played in as children. Now, the streets were empty as a siren rang out in warning urging people into their homes or the nearest protected building.

Their protections were simple – every building had a moat, dug deep and around five foot from the walls filled with flammable liquid which was lit. It was dangerous, but the mortality rate of fire deaths was favourable over that of vampire murders.

They ran through the middle of the reservation. Flames raged high and filled the sky with smoke. Little faces pushed noses and mouths against glass as the wolves passed. They paid them no mind – the vampires were near.

The four had split.

A pillar of purple smoke signalled one already dead. Still, they followed Laura. She met with Lana, who regarded them with narrow, cold eyes before running off. They could only assume her glares were filled with gratitude but wasted no time lingering on her. They stood on enemy territory now – on land they had been banished from, for people that no longer wanted them. They knew they were not welcome, but still they came.

No communication was needed.

Bella had served as Alpha for many years. They all knew what to do. It was effortless as Thomas and Ryan flanked Bella, and Kim and Kyle covered the rear. They moved as one, weaving through the houses. Knowing every path, every curb and dip in the concrete was their advantage and the vampires didn't stand a chance. They saw a small woman – her crimson eyes glowing and wide with fear as she looked over her shoulder as she ran. The flames surrounding the houses kept her from the innocent people within. She had nowhere to go but out.

But she didn't.

The woman fled the reservation and ran down the length of the forest and along the beach. Bella and the others were fast on her heels but the sand slowed them down. The formation broke. Bella would not slow them down. Ryan pushed on ahead, the fastest of them all. The chase stretched over seven miles but with one lunge and a loud cry Ryan had the woman at his mercy. She clawed and cried out, "Please stop!"

Bella and the others caught up within moments. The woman's arms fell limp as Ryan reared back, closing his mouth and silencing his snarl. He heard a soft hiss in the air and heard the sand push and give way to heavy steps. "You trespassed on our land," Bella said harshly.

The vampire, still pinned by Ryan and his glaring yellow eyes whimpered pathetically. "We didn't know!" she all but cried. "My Gregory."

Bella could only assume Gregory was her mate, and with a sinking in her gut, hoped he wasn't the smoking pile of ash further up the beach. "You were warned when you crossed onto our land," Bella insisted but there was a chill creeping over her skin.

"We were told nothing!" the woman howled. "We didn't know the land was protected!"

It was unusual for Bella to be silent in the face of a vampire, but this time words failed her. She felt her skin crawl and her blood boil within her veins. Behind her, the others fidgeted uncomfortably in the quiet. The vampire sobbed and whispered pleas for mercy, but Ryan wouldn't move for anything less than word from his Alpha. He knew how manipulative vampires could be.

"They didn't warn you," Bella repeated.

"Unless you call murder a warning!" the vampire snarled before dissolving into sobs again.

Bella took a deep breath and did her best to remain neutral but her mind was a mess. She had been Alpha for twelve years and she'd like to think she'd made a difference, left her mark on the Tribe, made things better. She hadn't even been gone a week and already everything had changed back to the rabid, feral laws of the past. Had the others not learned yet?

"Listen to me-" Bella said softly, approaching the vampire and standing next to Ryan as they both peered down at the woman. She was beautiful, as they all were, with flowing brown hair and a young, round face. The woman's eyes darkened at Bella's word. "I can get you out of here."

"You killed them!"

Bella bristled but said nothing. It was impossible not to smell the smoke or hear the jovial calls of her former back signalling the victory over their enemy. It sickened her. "We did not," Bella insisted sincerely. "I am sorry for what has happened here," she went on. She felt her stomach churn for the vampire. "This was..." she shook her head. Words meant nothing. "We will escort you safely off Makah land."

Ryan backed up hesitantly and the woman was on her feet in a blink. Her eyes screamed murder as she glared at Bella but she didn't flinch. Silently, they made their way back up the beach. Bella walked side by side with the vampire. Thomas walked at her side, and Ryan at the vampires in their wolf forms as Kim and Kyle covered their ass from any attacks.

Bella could see their beach fire where they made their meetings. She could see the people stood around it watching their approach with glares and wide eyes, with crossed arms and quiet whispers but her eyes searched for Lana. This should have never happened. She made sure this never happened. Her old pack looked torn. She could see the smirks and cocky scoffs of those that preferred the new order, and the watery eyes and longing looks of the others who longed for the old ways.

The fires were being put out slowly and the reservation was bathed in a smog of grey smoke.

"Bella," Lana all but spat as Bella and her pack climbed up the beach and onto the main path. She two Alpha's locked eyes and there was weakness revealed. "How lovely of you to remember where you belong. Here we thought you'd abandoned your people."

She had no patience for petty insults. She had a very agitated, angry and scared vampire at her side and she needed to leave now. Lana's eyes landed on the trembling vampire at Bella's side and she sneered. "Your imprint has made you weak."

"We don't kill the innocent," Bella said calmly. The handful of wolves that had crept closer, looking to back Lana fell back. They recognised that tone.

"No vampire is innocent," Lana spat with unbridled rage. She was too emotional.

"Did they harm anyone? Did you warn them? Or did you just wait for them to cross the border and attack them?"

Lana said nothing.

"Do not expect our help again," Bella vowed strongly.

Lana's jaw clenched but she kept her insults to herself. She stepped aside and allowed Bella, her tribe and the vampire to walk past unharmed. It took a few minutes for them to get out of the reservation and out into neutral territory where Bella took a deep breath. The vampire was too quiet, too solemn. "Nothing I can say can bring back-"

"You called me innocent," the vampire said oddly, with red eyes and wet, sand covered clothes.

Bella nodded lightly. "Killing for the sake of killing is abhorrent to me. I'm sorry for the people you have lost," Bella went on. "There is a coven only a few miles west of here if you need to rest."

"I doubt another coven would invite me in," the woman said condescendingly as she flicked her hair and sighed. She didn't look as cut up about the loss of her coven as Bella had suspected.

"These vampires are a little different," Bella shrugged.

The vampire shook her head and darted off into the woods, disappearing from view in a matter of seconds and leaving Bella and her pack dangerously close to the reservation. She phased quickly and headed back west leisurely. The thoughts from the others were deafening. They had too much anger and pent up frustration. They were sad to be, once again, feeling from their home. They were jealous of those that remained, angry at the wolves that glowered and mocked them like they weren't once brothers and sisters.

"Something is wrong," Jasper said to the others as they wolves approached. Patrols had been cancelled and everyone returned to the house. There was no way of knowing whether the wolf messenger had been honest, or whether it was a trap to separate them all. Either way, it was safer to have everyone all together.

"Are we in trouble?" Esme asked quietly. She didn't like to think ill of Bella and her control, but old habits die hard.

"I've never felt them so riled," Jasper answered honestly.

_Go hunt, _Bella urged the others. She'd rather they sunk their teeth and claws into dinner than a supposed ally. She figured she'd have to answer a few questions from Carlisle or Edward, but she too felt that her emotions were far too close to brimming over to be completely safe. The others broke off without hesitation. Emotion was clouding their thoughts. Bella knew plenty of blood would be spilled that morning.

As she'd expected, Edward waited for her on the patio as she broke through the tree line. She didn't want to phase and reveal the extent of her fury. It was too difficult to hide on a human face but with claws and teeth at her disposal she didn't quite trust her restraint. Against her better judgement, she phased and was left without any way of expelling her feelings besides screaming and swearing, punching things and tearing someone's head off. None of the above was really an option.

"What happened?" Edward asked quietly as he made his way down the lawn. Even he was cautious, and ignored his families warnings. He could see from her flushed skin, to the thrum of her heartbeat that she was very edgy. "Was there an attack?"

"Yes," Bella muttered as she stood aimless at the bottom of the garden. Edward made a move to cross the river and she shook her head. "Don't," she warned him darkly. "Not after..."

Edward planted his feet on the right side of the river and waited.

"She's ruined _everything," _Bella said in a very controlled voice. He could see her hands shaking.

"Lana?"

Bella nodded. "Vampires crossed onto the reservation... and they hunted them down and killed them."

"Isn't that-" Edward began.

"No!" Bella cried suddenly. "We don't kill just because we can!" she shouted at him, her face and neck turning puce in a rage he knew wasn't directed at him. It was still unnerving to have her glaring eyes pinned on him though. "And they _summon _us like they're so fucking helpless!"

"They didn't need your help," Edward guessed quietly.

"There's fifteen wolves on the reservation," she insisted loudly. "They were making a point. They were rubbing it in our fucking faces."

Edward watched her pace back and forth, watching her body tremble with emotion and he stood quietly and waited because Bella was not Sam. She could control herself, and right now he wouldn't blame her for losing her shit. "She begged -" Bella went on after a long silence. "The vampire _begged _for us not to kill her."

Edward nodded. "And you didn't."

"That isn't the point!" Bella cried harshly. "The moment they cross into our land they're supposed to be warned. There was no warning. They had no idea a pack of wolves were protecting Neah Bay. They didn't hurt anyone-"

"But she could have," Edward commented. He knew his words could spark her fury and they had, and suddenly all of her anger was aimed right at him,

"Then why don't I just walk into that fucking house and kill your coven right now? I bet you've killed plenty of people!" Bella shouted at him with dark eyes. "How about I go around acting like a fucking executioner just because I can!"

And then she was gone and in front of him stood a great, hulking wolf that was snarling and crouched and shaking with anger. He staggered back because it had been so fast and so sudden, and then she was running away through the forest away from him and he didn't go after her. He stood for a few minutes trying to piece together what had just happened.

"Women," Emmett said when Edward walked back into the house. His comment was accompanied by a slap on the back and a roll of his eyes, as if his mate hadn't just exploded into a giant wolf because he'd pissed her off. He appreciated his brothers good humour making light of the situation, because he was terrified that she wasn't going to come back, or that his few ill spoken words would have her glaring daggers at him for quite some time.

He was used to annoying people, but usually he could just gauge how angry they were from their thoughts and react accordingly. He didn't like being in the dark and playing it by ear.

–

It was difficult to relax knowing there were five very angry werewolves running around in the forest outside. Not to mention the fact that thirteen vampires were crammed into their home and it was getting a little ridiculous to say the least. Thank god none of them actually needed to sleep or eat or Carlisle was sure it would have been bedlam.

Speaking of hunting, Carlisle arranged for them to go hunting. Garret had even promised to join them and give their _vegetarian _lifestyle a try. Carlisle had a creeping feeling it had more to do with Kate, who he barely took his eyes off more than curiosity.

"She'll come back," he assured Edward after going in search for his son. It had been three hours since Bella had run off and Edward had taken himself away from everyone else and was busy staring at the counter as he sat on a bar stool in the kitchen with his head in his hands looking lost and a little pathetic.

"Thanks," Edward sighed sarcastically after hearing his fathers thoughts. "I don't even know what happened."

"She's not a teenager," Carlisle began quietly as he heaved himself up on the worktop knowing Esme would kill him if she walked in, but he hoped she'd be lenient since they had company. "As much as she looks like one."

"She's in her thirties," Edward shrugged. "I know she's not a kid."

Even though Edward himself was almost a hundred and twenty.

"But she's not like us," Carlisle went on as he planted his hands either side of his legs on the counter. Edward half expected him to start swinging his legs. He saw his meaning in his mind. He knew Bella had responsibilities that he couldn't even begin to comprehend how much pressure was on her shoulders, not to mention how much she puts on herself.

"I know she's got a lot of responsibilities."

Carlisle shook his head and laughed quietly. "I have the six of you to keep safe and that is stressful enough at times. I can't imagine how she feels, trying to look after hundreds of people while fighting with the deciding council."

If he was honest, Edward didn't like to think of Bella back on the reservation in charge, dictating and arguing with the faceless council. He knew she had a lot on her shoulders but the full picture had never crossed his mind.

"I can totally understand why she's so angry," Tanya pitched in as she leaned on the door jamb. She made no secret of disliking Bella, mostly for what she was but she had respect for the woman and that was enough to curb her tongue. "I don't know how I'd react if someone fucked with my family when I stepped out."

"She got kicked out, Tanya," Edward sighed with a roll of his eyes. Lord knows how many times he'd told her this. "It's not like she had a choice."

"She did have a choice," Carlisle argued lightly.

Edward scoffed.

"She is proud," Tanya noted with a shrug. "Nothing wrong with that; especially when she's not ripping vampires heads off."

"Careful," Kate warned from the living room, chortling. "You might actually _like _her."

Tanya smirked but said nothing.

"I've never seen her like that," Edward said with a sigh.

"You've known the girl for... what... a week?" Tanya snorted in a very unlady-like manner and crossed her arms. "So she's left her own people behind, shacked up _outside _your house, found out her people are fucking everything she made up, and you're annoyed that she got pissed with you."

Edward wanted to argue his point, but felt Tanya wasn't going to let him win this one.

* * *

Come on guys! Let me know what you're thinking!


	8. Chapter 8

The wolves started trickling back slowly. First Kim and Ryan returned, both had blood stained fur and immediately sank themselves into the river to clean themselves off. They hadn't taken their visit home well, and Kim was once again grieving the loss of her mate. She had hoped to see him, to catch a glimpse or a smile but he had been taking shelter in his home with his family tucked away from the action.

Ryan was as angry as Bella was. He had followed her rules absolutely, and believed in the way she ran the Pack. He didn't like vampires, but he was sure they had been spared many attacks because of Bella's diplomatic approach. Sure, some of the vampires tried to kill them anyway but at least when they attacked them they did so with a clear conscience.

Kyle sidled through the forest about an hour later and bathed in the river before phasing and laying out on the grass with his family. They didn't say a single word to one another, which was irritating to the vampires who were waiting for some news. He wasn't as cut up about the vampire as everyone else. He was more angry about his so-called family, his wolf pack that had so easily cast them aside and looked down on them.

It was nightfall before Thomas and Bella both returned. They kept their distance from one another, but the bleeding cuts and gouged teeth marks revealed their tumultuous relationship. It hadn't been a nasty fight but after the day they'd had, it hadn't taken much to trigger their instincts. Real fighting turned into sparring and, after an hour or so, exhausted, playful lunges and rolls. They phased and joined the others on the lawn. The air was tense and heavy with unspoken accusations and anger, but Bella didn't know how to address it without sparking another conflict.

"They looked at us like we were Quileute's," Kyle mumbled as he lay with his arms thrown over his face. "Like we're so fucking disgusting for having a back bone."

"Not everyone likes how I run things," Bella defended softly. She had never held anyone's opinion against them, though she felt the only reason she'd kept most so happy was her rule about orders which gave them at least the semblance of free will.

"But the whole thing is fucked up," Kyle argued loudly as he sat up glowering. "You don't control who you imprint on – everyone knows that. Punishing you for imprinting on a vampire is like punishing Kim for being a wolf. It's makes fuck all sense."

"Actually it would be like Kim transforming into a vampire, instead of a wolf," Thomas said with a small shrug when Bella rolled his eyes.

"It doesn't matter," Kyle argued. "The pack should never split."

"I can't believe they're killing vampires now," Ryan butted in, keeping his eyes on the sky above them and his hands on his stomach. "That didn't take them long, did it?"

"The council never made a secret of their dislike for the way I ran things."

"Are you honestly going to sit there and defend them?" Kyle spat with narrowed eyes.

Bella bristled. She was a friend, a sister but still an Alpha and he was getting too much. "I can understand why they are doing what they are doing. That doesn't mean I agree with it, or support it at all," she said harshly.

Ryan hit his brother in the stomach without looking "Stop it." Kyle flopped back to the ground next to his brother.

Kim said nothing, her mind filled with her mate and nothing more.

"There's a meeting later tonight," Kyle said with a sigh, forcing himself to be calm. He knew Bella was patient, but he still didn't want to get on the wrong side of her. "I heard them talking earlier," he mumbled, meaning the vampires.

Thomas looked at Bella with a smirk. "I think we should go."

Bella felt her own smirk mirroring his. "I don't know," she hedged.

"Oh come on," Thomas laughed easily. "It's not like things can get any worse! The vampires can't stand us, the Quileute's hate us and our own people are mocking us... why not?"

Bella laughed because his words were hard, but true enough and it was time they stopped being quiet and took a stand. They were still wolves, still willing to run home to protect their people and still in this fight to the end. They had as much right to be in that clearing as everyone else, even if they had already learned quite a lot just by being in such a close proximity with the vampires.

"I'm in," Kim called suddenly. She gave no reason, but the anger in her voice spoke volumes.

"Okay," Bella said with a nod. "We'll go, but I swear to God you're staying as wolves. If you start _anything _I will personally march you back to Neah Bay and let Lana have you."

–

The vampires headed out at half past six, with Garret laughing and happily anticipating the wolves that he was about to see. He hadn't even heard of werewolves before he'd been chased down by one, and here he was in the middle of a political battle. As a general rule, he lived as he liked and gravitated towards what made him laugh. He liked to be on the move, and had yet to find anywhere that held his attention for more than a week or so.

He stood in the clearing, with Kate at his side and waited with poorly concealing anticipation that had Jasper rolling his eyes at his old friend. There was no doubt his red eyes would surely set off a few tempers, but they were all hoping the wolves would be able to control themselves.

Bella and the others set off at just gone seven. A dramatic entrance was what they were going for, and damn if they were going to miss seeing Lana's face when they stepped into that clearing. They were perfection personified, even as a pack of five as they moved easily and gracefully into the clearing. They had completed the square – with them standing to the Cullen's left and facing Lana and their old Pack. The Quileute's were wild, squealing and snarling and baring their teeth while Sam fumed silently.

Bella stood, human and confident as ever as her pack flanked her closely.

Across the clearing stood Lana. Her eyes were wide and worried as the wolves around her looked this way and that, torn. She knew that unless she phased, Lana wouldn't be able to control her pack but to phase meant admitting weakness and pride was everything to them all. When Bella locked eyes with her, she knew she had her cornered and anything less than a stare back would mean failure.

It was childish, but the way they worked.

Jasper was pretty sure he could have danced naked in the middle of that clearing and no-one would have batted an eyelid – a thought that made Edward smile widely. With Jasper talking and showing them moves, purposefully standing between the two women and trying to drop the tension that was gradually escalating. With a smirk, Bella looked away and concentrated on Jasper and his lesson, leaving Lana reeling.

The vampires watched with amusement. Bella was effortless in her control and manipulation. Even Tanya was impressed.

Their meaning was clear; they are here, no matter what anyone did.

By the time Jasper stepped down, he was sure Bella and her pack were the only ones even polite enough to pretend to pay attention. His own family and friends were busy watching the wolves, the Quileute's were far too angry and agitated to pay attention to anything and there was such a myriad of emotion from the Makah Pack that he did his best to ignore them.

It hurt to see her pack so visibly torn in two. Neither side were completely happy. Of course there were those few who preferred the new order, but most didn't and Bella could see that. When Jasper stepped back, Carlisle introduced Garret to everyone. He kept his smart comments to himself as he nodded curtly to Sam and Lana, reserving a smirk for Bella.

"He is adopting our diet of animal blood while he stays with us," Carlisle told the clearing, not that anyone even reacted or responded in any way to his words. Bella thought it was incredibly rude and it annoyed her.

Sam turned and left with his pack, but the tension didn't lift. Lana still had her feet firmly planted opposite Bella, squaring off in a dark stare. The wolves around them waited, muscles tensed and coiled. The vampires watched in silent amazement. It was a silent battle of wills, and there was no doubt who would win.

Lana lifted her chin suddenly. "May I have a word?" she spat.

Bella smiled sweetly and dipped her head in a half nod. "Of course."

Lana rolled her eyes and stepped away from her pack and towards Bella. They all saw Thomas tense and lean forwards just an inch or so. Lana's wolves reacted similarly, but Bella put her hand on her Beta's leg without looking and he raised his head and sat back on his haunches again. She would not tolerate fighting between them.

"_In private," _Lana scolded patronisingly before stalking away from them towards where Sam and his Pack had left from. She trusted Thomas and the others to keep themselves in check as she left their ranks, keeping a good twenty paces behind Lana just in case she was trying something underhanded and sly. She didn't trust this woman anymore.

Lana lead her further into the forest and away from their wolves, until their hearts were a distant harmony and their soft breathes were nothing more than whispers. She stopped suddenly, where the trees grew tall and high and much closer together than anywhere near Forks or Neah Bay. It was almost black, but their eyes were decent enough to see clearly. She watched Bella's approach, and sighed as she stopped at quite a distance.

For a long moment, the women merely stared at one another. Bella was impatient. She had her pack to think of. "I fucked up," Lana whispered hoarsely, and with a shock Bella realised she was close to tears.

Bella said nothing.

Lana laughed as she wiped at her leaking eyes. There was nothing happy in her smile. "I asked for this."

"Things will get better," Bella said softly, crossing her arms over her chest and keeping her distance. She had very little sympathy for this woman standing in tears in front of her. She was right – she had asked to be Alpha, and had handed Bella's ass over to the council to get it. Complaining was nothing less than disrespectful.

The tears flowed and she sniffed as she turned away from Bella. "I'm not the Alpha."

Bella frowned at her back. "Of course you are."

"No," Lana argued angrily. "I..." she faltered as she turned and met Bella's hard gaze. "I stepped aside for the council."

Bella could have hit her so hard in that moment, so hard her teeth fell out and she had no bones left in her chest. But instead, she closed her eyes and shook her head because it was the most ridiculous thing she'd ever heard. "Why..."

"They said they wanted more control, that you kept them in the dark about everything and they wanted to have more of a roll in the pack..." Lana said helplessly, her eyes wide and pleaing for something Bella couldn't give her. "_They _give me orders, and I give them to the wolves – that's why I don't have a strong power over them."

Bella hadn't even thought about it.

But, when she thought about it, it made a lot of sense and she didn't for a second doubt the honesty in Lana's words. It had been many years that the council had petitioned for more control over the Pack but she had never been stupid enough to hand over the Alpha role.

"Do the others know?" Bella asked quietly.

Lana scoffed bitterly, "We're barely holding it together as it is."

She sighed because there was nothing she could do. Lana had well and truly fucked everything up, but there was a sadness and painfully lost expression on her face that tugged at Bella's conscience and reminded her that not everyone thought like she did. It was something to know that these new rules hadn't come from Lana herself, though it was a small mercy.

"Well-"

They were jolted by the sudden snarls and shaking of the ground. In a flash they phased together and darted back through the forest deaf to one another but their minds were in sync as Alpha's. In a matter of seconds they were back in the clearing where the previous formations had been abandoned and there was nothing but blood and fur and utter chaos as bodies were flung and pinned and lunged at.

Bella's presence was felt by all – even the vampires who had retreated to the very fringe of the clearing. It was as if she commanded the attention of every single on of them just by being there – and by God was that an amazing quality to have. Just by appearing, most of the fighting stopped and the wolves dragged themselves to their feet, keeping their body language submissive and low as Bella stalked closer.

She was not the largest, not the fastest or the strongest by a long way but when she passed by, the wolves scuttled back as if she was burning the ground beneath them. There was only one wolf still snarling and that was Kyle, and her eyes were hard and angry as the wolves parted and left a clear path right to him. He knew he was in trouble, but he still stared at Hannah with hatred and barely restrained fury.

_Stand down, _Bella urged him flatly as she slowly approached. She knew trying to barge in and force his mood to calm would only escalate it. She didn't want to issue an order, but damn it if she was going to let him ruin the tenuous treaty between them all.

His mind was awash with anger and his thoughts were barely legible through the haze of emotion that clouded his judgement. Hannah, a small pale brown wolf sat comfortably staring lazily back at Kyle with a smug superiority that irked Bella.

_Kyle, _Bella said to him as she neared him. His low growl was unending, and his glare utterly unwavering. _We can't jeopardise everything for this. You need to let it go._

The very notion was crushing. A wolf was proud. It was their ultimate weakness, and none of them would ever want to back down from a fight. Kyle was primed and ready, but he wasn't naïve and stupid. He knew launching himself at Hannah again could rip their packs apart completely and ruin any chance of re-merging and becoming a family again.

The growl was silenced. The pale wolf made a small noise in the back of her throat and tossed her head to the side. A sharp snarl from Lana silenced and stilled her. Kyle, who had been crouched low and tight was nudged away by Thomas and his snout in his stomach urging him away. Kyle gave in easily and allowed Thomas to guide him back to their previous station.

Lana gave one last strange look at Bella before turning and leading her pack away through the woods. Only a few actually moved.

Bella noted that only Kyle and Ryan had any wounds at all – and even then they were minimal and minor at most. She could see huge, gaping wounds on John and Ted, and chunks of fur missing from Julie and Rick. It was heart wrenching to see her pack staring back at her – those she had ran with, played and laughed with for so long now stood against her.

She missed her friends.

Lana looked over her shoulder and barked loud and sharp – an order no doubt. All of the wolves got to their feet and turned to leave. Six kept their feet planted, twisted halfway to go, undecided and hesitating. Bella stood with Kim and Ryan – waiting for them to leave so they could stand down and head back home.

To the vampires it was clear the six wolves stood in the large expanse were torn between their Alpha's. It was a heavy moment. Lana could sense the weakness and was panicked by the thought of losing even more. Her orders became more urgent, her ears flattening as she snarled and growled.

It wasn't enough.

Two dark coloured wolves returned to her side, but four remained in the centre. The vampires waited. Bella didn't seem to be able to move, but her eyes were huge and expressive as she looked between the four who stared back at her.

She felt the shiver, felt the tug in her mind before more voices joined her own. Her eyes slipped shut and she dropped her head low as Lana snarled loudly and seven wolves rushed back to Bella, jaws snapping and claws ready. Lana controlled them, silenced their aggression and dulled their anger by ordering them back. Eleven sank into the forest and disappeared with pounding paws and snapping fury, leaving nine in the clearing silent and heavy.

The sadness was difficult to lift, but Bella raised her head and walked over to the four that had become hers. Their own sadness was clear. She felt it, heard it as if it were her own and she didn't need to add to that. They were very welcome.

Thomas bounded over and barged into John who, as injured and bleeding as he was, pushed straight back and snapped playfully at his old friend. Tails wagged – a fact that left Garret in near hysterics.

Fur was shed in favour of skin and close tight hugs and playful punches were exchanged. Lauren and John seemed in high spirits and glad to be gone, but Rachel, who had always been quiet let her tears fall silently as she stared at the ground with anxious eyes. Ted was stoic but shared hugs and small smiles with his friends as they embraced one another.

Bella had wanted to remain as a wolf, to protect them from her personal feelings but Rachel tugged at her heart. The girl was only a few years younger than her, but Bella thought of her as a younger sister. The poor girl had lost all of her family in a vampire attack when she was only six. She was, by no means scarred or broken, but the loss had left her meek and introverted. She liked the comfort and known.

And so Bella landed on two feet and went to her, with her tears and shaking hands and wrapped her arms around this tiny woman who was surely falling apart because there was nothing else she could do. She felt warm arms wrap tightly around her waist and hot, wet tears soak through her shirt to her chest but Bella didn't mind. She rested her cheek on Rachel's head and let her cry. Bella wished she could cry. She wished she could be so vulnerable and weak to cry, to be strong enough to pull herself back from that low and be okay again. Her handful of tears was nothing to Rachel's sobs.

No words were needed, and when Rachel was ready and collected, Bella released her. Her face was red but her dark skin hid it well, even as she wiped her eyes and sniffled. There was no denying that Bella was glad to have her friends back, but it only added more fuel to the councils fire, and more pressure on her. It was a burden she had no choice but to bear.

–

Back at the house the wolves settled in on their side of the river and talked about the changes in the Makah pack dynamic, how people were considering rebelling and the villagers were seriously considering leaving. Bella's voice was missing. She'd chosen to stay quiet this time. Her mind was elsewhere, her eyes vacant as she sat leaning against her tree and staring at the grass between her legs.

Nine was too many to take back.

She had effectively halved the pack – and if what Lauren was saying was true more would be on their way given enough time. That meant less wolves protecting their people, less people standing in her corner back on the reservation and less of a chance of ever reconciling the whole situation.

The more wolves switched sides, the more bitter and angry Lana and the council would be, and the less likely they would be to accept her back. If things continued in the same manner, she'd have most of the pack by the end of her second week away and the Council would have no choice but to reinstate her as Alpha but she didn't want to force their hand. She didn't want to be where she wasn't wanted.

She considered stepping aside and her mind lingered too long on the suggestion; far longer than it ever had before. The more she thought about it, the more she saw that it could be one of the only ways to get out of this dead end.

They saw her distraction and left her to her thoughts.

Bella was a good Alpha – sure, she snapped and got frustrated but so would anyone with nineteen people shouting and complaining in their ears all day. Her decisions were good, her moves well thought out and she never did anything that wasn't for the good of the pack or their people. She was a testament to them all. Thomas could see that four more people had pushed the boundaries too far, so that they were stretching and straining especially for Bella. Thus far the vampires had been silent on the matter but he was sure that was only a matter of time.

Lauren was small but stocky, with a big chest and wide hips and impressive curves that she was not ashamed of in the slightest. She had sharp eyes, a thin mouth and a small thin nose that made her look annoyed almost constantly. She was a sharp contrast to Rachel, who seemed to embody youth and fragility with her thin whispy brown hair, narrow shoulders and large doe eyes.

Night fell quickly but it was much warmer and they remained outside chatting idly. John and Ted were much older than Thomas – each in their fifties and far more stoic and reserved than the other guys around them. Ted, who looked not a day over twenty, had left behind a wife and his daughter while John had his mate. The loss was devastating but there was only so much a person could take.

"What did Lana want to talk to you about?" John asked, his voice so deep and vibrating that he demanded attention. It was only the dull vibration in his voice that broke Bella from her mind and made her look over to his dimly lit face as the lights from the house struggled to reach them.

"It doesn't matter," she mumbled dismissively.

"She's been blocking everyone from the moment she became Alpha," John argued strongly. Bella had nothing but respect for the man. He had seen so many of his friends fall in battle, and it had left an impression on him as much as he tried to hide it. "She's hiding something."

But Bella wasn't one for gossip or spite, and Lana's confidential words would stay so.

Edward found her later, wandering though the forest having volunteered for a patrol. She had said very little since returning to the house and he didn't want her upset. He hoped that, if she couldn't speak to her pack, that perhaps she would confide in him.

She was the only wolf out that night and her mind was quiet and private. She heard his approach, caught his scent a good five minutes before he slowed in front of her. She had paused somewhere to the north and looked out over a steep hundred foot slope where the forest continued on for hundreds of miles. She looked melancholy, even in her wolf form.

"Bella," he said softly, and she turned her head but didn't move to greet him or phase so that they could speak. So he went to her side – careful not to touch as he looked out over the forest. He wondered how far she could see across the water. It was a peculiar feeling, standing next to a ten foot wolf.

In her human form, Bella looked thin and weak like any other teenage girl. As a wolf, he couldn't pretend not to be intimidated and a little emasculated.

He said nothing and just stood by her, a silent support, an open hand and willing ears.

She moved suddenly, bumping into him and making him stumble. Her strength still took him by surprise but he caught himself and regained his footing and she was sniggering at him, her eyes alight with glee. Her skin was burning hot and she leaned on him just a little and sighed loudly before lowering her head and staring at the floor.

"It'll be okay," he comforted gently as he pushed back against her, supporting her too.

She shook her huge wolf head, ears twitching and fur flicking this way and that. She felt the offer in his silence and patient stare. They were a team now, whether willing or not. She pushed off from him and phased, landing lithely on two legs and straightening her shirt before looking up at him. She wished she still towered over him.

Still, he waited but she felt torn.

"Nine is too many," she whispered out at the slope, crossing her arms over her chest as she worried.

"Too many for what?"

"To ever make this better," she answered quietly. "We are a proud people – losing half of the pack will only strengthen their resolve to keep us out until there is no other choice."

Her mind was still focussed on the future, worrying for the weeks to come when in a matter of days they would be fighting for their lives. She had so much responsibility on such narrow shoulders.

"You'll get home," he soothed softly, looking over at her in the darkness. She truly was incredibly beautiful. He was getting quite attached to this girl.

"But at what cost?"

"Lana will step down," Edward assumed quickly. "She's struggling handling them as it is."

"She's not the Alpha," Bella said quickly, knowing Eleazar was too far to hear. She watched Edward's face crumple in confusion. "The council have a seat within the pack – but they have to be voted in. Historically, it has only been used in emergency situations when an Alpha has been killed in battle but they've been pestering me for years to let them."

"But they can't..." Edward said, puzzled.

"They have none of our abilities," she assured him. "But they would automatically take the seat of Alpha. Unfortunately, Lana agreed and they are dictating the rules to her," she explained quietly. "That's what she wanted to tell me. She's losing control of the pack because her hold over them is only a tenth of what it should be."

That, and she had betrayed and back-stabbed every single one of them so none of them trusted her anymore.

"What does that mean in the long run?" Edward asked after a long silence.

"It means things will continue to get worse in Neah Bay. The council know only what they read in the old books and texts. They don't know what it is to be a wolf," she said heavily. "But, in the long run it means that it will be easier to get back in. I'm pretty sure it's not just the Pack the council are pissing off."

She told him of her sadness, of her bond with Rachel and her history. She tried to explain that she _was _happy to have her friends away from Lana, but not away from their people. She told him how she wanted to start patrolling Neah Bay at a safe distance to make up the numbers, but feared an attack spurred by bitterness and anger.

There was only twelve more days, if Alice's vision was correct.

They heard Eleazar's approach and left the truths for later as they fell silent. "Thanks," Bella said with a small but sincere smile as she peered up at Edward.

If he'd known her better, he would have pulled her in for a hug and probably kissed her, but their situation left him floundering. He supposed it was like an arranged marriage – you're supposed to do all of this stuff that comes naturally, but you're still strangers, still scared and hesitant.

So they parted and continued the patrolling separately, ignoring the knowing smirk from Eleazar. It was almost sunrise by the time they started heading back to the house, having switched places with John, Thomas and Kim. She was very careful not to think about her conversation with Edward, but know she owed her pack the truth. She didn't like lying to them.

She probably should have slept but she didn't feel tired enough. She had something of a pack, as broken and halved as it was. They were still a force to be reckoned with, powerful and deadly and she was proud of that. "We need to train," she said after only ten minutes of sitting down with the others.

"Come on," Lauren groaned while rubbing her eyes. "Can't we have a bit of rest?"

"No," Bella said as she got to her feet. "We're relying on a psychic for our timing, but it's not a precise science. Those newborns could be on their way right now," she said, dusting down her trousers and looking down at her pack as they lay and sat on the ground peering up at her, humouring her. "Come on," she kicked Ryan's foot and he scowled but got to his feet.

Plus Bella thought it was only fair, since they'd stood and watched them all having a go at one another.

Their idea of training was very different to the vampires; there was blood and fur lost, skin torn and yelps released. It was savage and hard and fast and head on, and completely enrapturing to watch which the vampires all did unashamedly. The patio doors were thrown open in the dry, hot weather and the vampires spilled out slowly, pretending to be casual but Bella and the wolves knew they were curious.

Those that sat aside did so in their wolf forms, to keep up with the action and learn and give pointers. Esme's beautiful lawn was ruined after only ten minutes, the grass torn and shredded and dirt tossed through the air. Ryan did not hold back against Bella and she gave it all she had, but he was much stronger than she was. It was difficult, hearing the yelps and seeing the dripping blood – but Bella was learning too. She didn't consider herself above her Pack, or any better and Carlisle respected her for it.

Bella was fast – they already knew that. Her reflexes were tight and on point, and she relied on them rather than her brute strength. She found herself playing defensive instead of offensive and only when Ryan stood up straight and tapped out did she raise from her own crouch. They switched places with Lauren and Ted. Kim was so small and a beautiful blond, sandy colour while Ted was almost pure black and twice her size.

Edward could smell the blood – could see a nasty, deep cut across Bella's muzzle and it made him irrational and angry because she was hurt. She saw his expression and wished to go over, to assure him that she was fine but injuries always looked more severe on human skin and she was sure his _family _wouldn't appreciate her in such proximity. So she laid down beside Kyle and stayed calm while her injuries healed and the blood clotted and skin knitted back together.

She was tired after her session with Ryan and allowed her eyes to slip shut, letting her pack's view replace her own. She hadn't even noticed she'd drifted off to sleep until she felt dirt fly into her face and she was startled awake rather rudely. Her pack's thoughts flooded her mind and their amusement was far too obvious. She merely grumbled and settled back down again, but kept her eyes open this time. As tired as she was, now wasn't the time for a nap.

It was obvious that they took _training _very seriously, so serious in fact that even Emmett was shocked by how far they allowed it to go. Bodies were thrown through the air, teeth were bared and to anyone watching, it seemed a fight to the death filled with savagery and ruthless fury but the moment they stopped it all fell away and they loped and limped back to their ranks as calm as ever.

_That _was the difference between the Makah pack and the Quileute's.

Rachel struggled, as she always did. She was not a natural born fighter. She was so soft and quiet, and it took a while for her to drop into the _wolf _mentality. They all saw the weakness. They were all aware of it – but they didn't roll their eyes and get cross. Rachel shrank away from conflict and even when facing Kyle she was hesitant to strike.

A heavy stare from Bella silenced any criticism Edward and those around him. She couldn't say the same for Garret. "I thought they were supposed to be trained killers," he scoffed with his arms over his chest. She heard Rachel's heart stutter and her emotions drop into defeat as Kyle rose to her defence, snarling at Garret, who merely held up his hands in surrender. "No offence intended," he assured the snarling wolf. "But we're going against these newborns any day now and we can't afford dead weight."

The training was over the moment Bella stood, her hard stare fixed to Garret who stared straight back without flinching. She couldn't care less for his opinion, but they couldn't afford to have any wolf feeling as low as Rachel did and he wasn't helping. Kyle's snarl stopped abruptly. Every single wolf eye was pinned to Garret, daring him to say another word against them.

"Again, I apologise," he said after a few seconds of uncomfortable silence.

Kyle flicked his ear. It was decided by Bella.

When she finally broke eye contact, she ignored the sighs and went to Rachel who was sat staring in the opposite direction. There was a short, silent exchange before the small pale wolf got to her feet and loped over the lawn and into the forest with Bella at her side. The tension was thick and palpable and something of a stand-off ensued with Garret far too arrogant and child-like to back down even against four very pissed wolves; none of which so much as twitched or looked away from the now uncomfortable vampire.

There were no tears, but the truth was spoken quietly; a truth they both knew. She was the weakest, the slowest and the softest and her head hung low and her eyes were on the floor. "This is not a bad thing," Bella urged with a gentle hand on her shoulder.

"It's not exactly a compliment," Rachel sniffed weakly.

"Do you know what I'd give to not think about strategies and speeds and moves and training..." Bella said encouragingly. "You're not the best wolf – but as far as people go, you out-fly all of us hands down. We all have strengths and weaknesses," she urged when it was obvious Rachel was still doubtful. "But we work as a team. We _help _each other."

There was no anger or frustration in Bella. Admittedly, she worried about Rachel when the newborns did inevitably come but she was by no means weak and feeble. She was sure that, given the right incentive and supported by the pack, Rachel would be just as strong and deadly as Ryan or Garret. Her personality wasn't as loud and strong as the others, that was all.

Rachel didn't listen and didn't care, and Bella didn't press her luck.

She headed back to the house and Rachel went to hunt, though they both knew she just wanted to stay as far from Garret and the wolves as possible. She went east, and Bella allowed her mind to stay quiet and give her some privacy.

She heard shouts – the sounds of pounding feet and heavy breathes and she broke into a sprint.

_Fuck._

Kyle was being restrained by his brother and Ted. Bella noted that the others had returned from their patrol, and Emmett, Carmen and Kate had also rejoined the ranks of the vampires who still remained standing just outside of the patio doors. She phased as soon as she hit the open lawn – as aware as she was of the hard, aggressive stare going off between Kyle and Garret she did not want to provoke anything else.

Ryan looked at her helplessly, an arm around his younger brothers chest while Ted stood to his left, his hands pushing on his shoulders. Neither could move the man, who seemed dead determined to get to Garret. His arms thrashed, his mouth spitting insults and exclamations of pride and honour when he was only ruining them himself.

She did it again – from the moment she stepped onto the lawn, the wolves behind Ted, Kyle and Ryan all lowered themselves just a little in submission. The vampires were not impervious. They, too felt the power and strength and stood in silent awe of her. Even as a small, just-barely five foot four teenage girl she was something to be reckoned with.

"Stand down," she said as she stood in front of Kyle. He could still see Garret over her head. He didn't spare her a glance.

"Kyle," she repeated in a hard tone.

"_You're going to stand there and let them say that!" _he cried, gritting his teeth as he pulled against his brothers grip.

"He has apologised for his comments," Bella said evenly.

"_You're so far up their asses..."_

A line was crossed. Ryan hissed angrily in his brothers ear, his grip becoming punishing instead of restraining but Kyle's gaze was on his Alpha, his rage redirected. "You imprint on one of them and suddenly they can say whatever they want – what next? You want us to fuck them too?"

The vampires couldn't see Bella's expression, but her heart beat remained steady. She was annoyed and angry, but knew his temper and words were borne of frustration; she could forgive them, if and when he was willing.

"_Shut the fuck up," _Ryan growled in his brothers ear. _"Bella – order him before he kills someone."_

"No," she said quickly. "He has free will."

"_Damn it Bella-" _Ryan cursed as he huffed and struggled to keep his sibling under control.

"If he doesn't like the way it is, he has the choice to go back to Lana. I will not force him to remain where he is unhappy," she informed them all. Kyle's struggles and protests died as he glared down at her. She looked so small.

"Move," he spat at her.

"I will not allow you to harm any of our allies," she said readily.

And she saw it in his grin, in the narrow of his eyes and the tension in his arms. He was wanting a fight – and by God he was going to get one. "Let him go."

"_Are you mad?!" _Lauren screeched from behind them.

Bella never took her eyes off Kyle. After a moment or two of realising she was, in fact, waiting for them to release him, Ted and Ryan let their hands fall and they dropped back. Ryan remained hovering close, just in case.

Kyle phased first, sudden and quick and almost knocking Bella off her feet. He stepped away a little and she phased next. She wanted to look at Edward, to assure her this was normal and okay but she dare not take her eyes off Kyle. His mind was rampant with hunger and exhaustion – he was angry and frustrated and drained and she understood. That didn't mean she liked his words.

The ensuing battle was nothing like the vampires had ever seen. They had considered the training macabre, but it was nothing compared to a true fight. There was not even half a moment of respite between lunges, kicks, bites, swipes. Kyle was by far he superior fighter, but he was too clouded by emotion and instinct to realise that Bella wasn't quite as lost in instinct as he was.

Blood was shed by the bucket load, but neither allowed a single sound of pain to leave their mouths, not even when they limped and winced, when bones were broken and muscles exposed. Edward wished he could hear their minds – to hear the conversations going on between the pair. The wolves across from them had remained human.

There was no winner.

There was a brief second, where they picked themselves up and stared hard into one another's eyes before Kyle turned and ran off into the woods. Without hesitation, before he had even left her sight Bella was human again and her injuries were grotesque and shocking to say the least. She spat blood from her mouth, wiped the hair from her face and said, "I apologise for what just happened," to Carlisle who did little other than nod back.

Her pack did not move to help her, but watched her lower herself to the ground between the two parties and gentle stretch her bleeding legs out in front of her. Kyle was long gone but she hoped he would return. She could see the pain in Ryan and Kim's faces – torn as they were between their brother and their vampires wavered and slowly went back inside. Bella was busy checking herself over. She had a broken leg, but with a very painful push she was able to realign the bone. Edward was there, lingering but cautious. She didn't like how, even now, he was so uncertain of her.

It was the blood that streaked down her cheek, that matted her hair and revealed bare bone and muscle. She should be dead. She shouldn't be pulling bone from her leg and just sitting back and letting it heal. Her face revealed nothing of the pain she must have felt and he was once again struck by her strength.

So he went to her and sat down, wishing he had a cloth to wipe the dried blood from her face and hands. The cuts and gashes had already healed. "What happens now?"

She sighed but didn't turn to look at him. "He has a choice to make."

She didn't seem at all upset about Garret and his comments – more that Kyle had lost his temper. It didn't even seem to bother her that he had, so easily attacked and hurt her – something Edward would not take from his brothers with such poise. "I wanted to kill him."

His words make Bella smile, though only a little. "I know. Thank you for not though," she added sweetly before her face crumpled just a little in pain. He'd never seen her like this – she'd never allowed him to, and remained in her wolf form. She saw his face mirror hers and she cursed herself for revealing the agony ricochetting up her shin, up her knee and spiking through her thigh. A broken bone usually took hours, if not more than a day to properly heal.

"I could take a look at it for you," he offered quietly.

At least he would feel like he was doing _something._

"It's only broken," she said with a sigh and shrug. "I just have to wait for it to heal."

It wasn't what he wanted to hear. This girl wasn't what he had wanted in his search for a mate. He had imagined pliant, quiet but intelligent, appreciative and respectful and while Bella was all of those things, she wasn't quite any of them either. She was intelligent in ways Edward would never understand, but he doubted she'd ever read Bronte. She was stubborn and proud and strong resilient and he knew he would hardly ever wear the trousers in the relationship.

_Relationship._

He had a relationship.

The notion made him smile.

"What're you smiling about?" she asked as a mirroring smile crept on her face.

But he just shrugged because he may or may not have a girlfriend.

"You're weird," she sighed and looked away from him. It was easy with him. She didn't see him as a vampire, but he was and eventually she would be forced to reconcile the quiet, watchful eyes of her imprint with the savage terror of his kind.

A spew of sugary sweet comments hung on his tongue.

_You're impossible._

_You're beautiful._

_You're everything._

He said nothing and watched her smile fall as she looked out at the forest around them. He had no idea where her mind was – with her pack behind her, with Kyle, with Rachel... with one of their allies who bordered on enemies. Her mind must have been so full.

* * *

Just want to say thanks to Tarbecca for the recommendation on ADF!

As ever, drop me a review and let me know what you think!


	9. Chapter 9

Rachel returned to quiet hugs. Her eyes were hard but she nodded at Bella, and she hoped that some of her earlier words had gotten through to her. Bella had remained between the house and her pack, sat in no mans land with Edward. He liked how quiet her mind was and she liked how he looked in the days light. After ten minutes of insisting, Bella allowed Edward to look at her leg.

She pulled the leg of her trousers up, already feeling less pain when moving, and revealed the horrid black and blue skin beneath. It was probably the worst break she'd ever had, but far from the first. He had cursed softly under his breath and shuffled to sit in front of her. It had taken everything not to react, to hold her muscles in place and not kick him or hit him from her.

He was still a vampire and she was weak.

He sensed it, saw the tension in the way her hands splayed on the ground behind her but he continued because they couldn't be afraid of each other and he was willing to take the risk. So he touched her skin so carefully and she winced and hissed through her teeth and he whispered his apology. "I don't think this can be healed just be waiting. You might have shattered something."

"I'll be fine."

"And if it heals wrong?" Edward countered worryingly.

"It won't," she said with a shrug. She saw his exasperation and hurried to say, "It's never happened before, and people have been worse off than me. Trust me," she added kindly. "Give it a few hours and I'll be on my feet again."

He left her to her pack, seeing that they were idling on the other side of the river waiting to approach their Alpha. Kim, John and Thomas returned from their patrol with questions and confusion. She was saddened by Edward's departure but her pack was there, swooping in and surrounding her with frowns and concern.

"He can't go back," Kim whispered with watery eyes.

"That's his decision," Bella sighed. "You all have a choice. I know it's not ideal here," she admitted as she looked at the wide, dark eyes of her family. "And I know that it is difficult for all of you. I wouldn't think any less of you for returning home."

_I would if I could._

"Now you're just being silly," Thomas said shoving her gently, a wide smirk on his face.

"We've all left people behind," John said solemnly. Eyes looked up as he stood on the edge of the group, never wanting to get too involved. His words, the few that he spoke, were always listened to. "But that doesn't mean we abandon reason."

"Kyle was just frustrated," Ryan said heavily. "He's barely slept since we left Neah Bay."

"I know," Bella nodded with a small smile. She would not hold his actions against him, and _this _was why she was a good Alpha. Even Ryan was planning on laying into his brother when he eventually showed his face again. "Some people have suffered more than others. We can't hold that against them," she said, her eyes lingering on Rachel as she peered back through sad eyes.

"You can't," Thomas scoffed. "But I certainly can."

"Thomas..." Bella began tiredly.

"I saw what happened – we all did," he said fervently. "There was no need to attack you like that," he went on strongly. Bella was not only his Alpha, but his oldest, closest friend and he would gladly put her life before his. He did not take an attack lightly, and he knew most of the others felt the same. "We're all hungry and tired and pissed off – we're living with thirteen vampires for fucks sake," he added loudly, his temper flaring. "That doesn't give him the right to go at you like that and _challenge _you."

"Enough," Bella said quietly, hoping to hush and quieten her friend once again. His fierce loyalty and protectiveness warmed her heart but she couldn't handle a war within her own pack. So she smiled and put her hand on his shoulder, seeing the fire raging behind his eyes and hoping to douse most of the flames. She knew, if Kyle chose to return, he would inevitably have to deal with the wrath of Thomas and the others but she would not encourage it.

Thomas huffed and fell silent.

They sat there, in the middle between their river and the vampire house. Even John eventually lowered himself to the ground, though he sat cross legged and straight backed, the vision of posture and maturity while the others lounged with stretched legs and casual disregard. They would not leave Bella alone in no man's land, and instead surrounded her whether consciously or not, with their own bodies. She was injured and vulnerable, and though she doubted a vampire would attack her it was humbling and comforting to know her pack still had her back, even after everything that had happened in the past week.

They discussed Kyle. Bella shook her head and smiled, keeping the tone light and gently curbing anything that hit a little to close to home. The closer she looked the more she saw. She saw the black bruises that revealed their exhaustion, saw the thinning arms and dull hair. Her pack was strong, but she had lead them into this without any plan or forethought. They hadn't given her any time.

"We need to figure this out," Bella said, changing the subject away from Kyle and his attack. "We need to get _decent _sleep if we stand any chance of fighting these newborns, and regular meals," she said despairingly. Feeding nine wolves wasn't an easy feat. The Cullen's back yard was quickly becoming quite cramped, and it didn't really work in the long term. Bella couldn't remember the last time she had a proper nights' sleep.

"Would you be okay with moving away?" Thomas asked seriously. They'd already been through this once.

She considered her words. "If it offered more, then yes."

She would not like to leave Edward, and though he was so far from alone, she didn't consider any of is _family _able to protect him like she would. Would they give their life for his? It would hurt and she would worry and stress, but the good of her pack she would leave him.

Talk turned back to Lana and home. Ted and John, being as old as they were often had less, but more fruitful things to say than the others. Bella sometimes pitied them, trapped as they were with teenagers and their childish gossip. She respected their maturity and unwavering dedication – in them, she saw what she hoped she could one day become.

It wasn't just her and Thomas – and it wasn't only the arguments between the vampires. She couldn't afford to keep Kyle around them, not that she didn't trust him to control himself but mistakes do happen and emotions were running high. It was a miracle someone hadn't snapped sooner.

Steps approached from the west and Thomas grinned as he cracked his knuckles. "Stop it," she scolded quickly, but he didn't pay any mind to her. She wished she could have gotten up and moved away, but her leg had her down and weak. "Go hunt," she ordered them all. Eyes turned to her, ready to argue and fight.

"She's got her Alpha face on," Thomas groaned as he got to his feet with the others. It went against everything they felt – to leave Bella alone, defenceless with vampires so close and Kyle on his way. If he attacked her again, if he hurt her Thomas knew nothing short of an execution would steady his vengeance. Kyle broke through the tree line as the others left around the other side of the house. Eyes went to figures in the window – Edward, Carlisle standing guard, protecting.

Bella paid them no mind.

Kyle was filthy, covered from head to toe in mud. His fists were clenched, his eyes still holding onto the fury from earlier but his steps were small and calm and she did not fear anything from him. He approached silently, his eyes taking in the raked grass and overturned soil of their battle. He knew Bella hadn't moved. He knew he'd hurt her. He sat down in front of her, eyes meeting but only fleetingly. He could not hold her gaze.

"Are you okay?" Bella asked softly. There was a hidden hardness to her words.

"Fine," he said stiffly. "I'm sorry about your leg."

"It's fine," she said dismissively. "Have you decided what you want to do?"

His head was bowed to the pavement. She couldn't see his eyes. He pulled his knees up to his chest and wrapped his arms around them. "I want to stay."

His words were quiet and muffles, aware of the vampires listening in.

"I'm sorry," Bella said in a whisper, her hand reaching over and resting on his arm. He did not move. "I didn't know how difficult you were finding it."

She should have. It was her duty.

"You've had a lot on your mind," he said with a shrug, raising his head and peering back at her with sad eyes. "I'm sorry for what I said."

"We are all entitled to our opinions," she reminded him with a wry grin. "I never meant to put anyone above you," she said solemnly, her smile falling quickly. "The pack is my priority – I hope that you know that."

He did. He saw it in every breath she took and it pained him, knowing that he'd thrown it in her face.

"We're going to move," she said quietly. "Not too far, but the space will hopefully give us time to breath and process this. No-one is eating or sleeping enough," she went on, effectively putting the fight behind them.

"You're going to leave Edward?"

She was the one to look away from his penetrating gaze. "You are not the only one who's had difficulty with the vampires."

She'd heard it in their minds – the irritation, the anger and petty arguments. It was innocuous now, but quickly building into something she feared she wouldn't be able to control. He knew it too, having been at the forefront of such thoughts, but he didn't think moving would change anything. "We're just... frustrated," he said smoothly. "You don't have to leave him."

"I can't risk it," she said. "What if Ryan hadn't stopped you-" she went on. Kyle looked away, ashamed. "You would have attacked and God knows who would have been left standing. I can't take that chance again."

"I'll go back to Lana," he offered with wide eyes.

"No. Not like this. Not as a punishment," she said harshly. "_You _are family. We stick together in this," she said strongly, her hand gripping his arm. He looked at it and nodded, feeling the responsibility crushing his shoulders. The blame was smothering. "We'll be fine."

And that was that.

The others returned shortly, having only ventured far enough to get out of earshot before quickly spinning on their heels. Kyle saw them over Bella's shoulder and dropped his head once again, muttering a quiet curse. Ryan took him aside, deep into the forest where he gave him one hell of a verbal battering and a few punches were thrown. Even Kim got a few swipes in when they came back to the house.

Thomas helped Bella to her feet after five hours of sitting on the cold, damp floor. She was pretty filthy and stinky, and had mud streaked through her hair. She'd have given anything for a hot shower, but would make do with the river when her leg was a bit better. She leaned on Thomas heavily as she tried to put weight on her leg, only cursing and hissing in pain when it proved far too soon.

Behind them, patio doors were thrown open. Edward carried a chair over and Thomas thanked him quietly as Bella lowered herself into. Brilliant. It was rather disgusting, watching her roll up her trouser leg and check the bone was still aligned and Thomas turned away and pretended to gag. He was quickly distracted by Kyle as he returned after a long talk with Ted. Lord knows what the huge stoic man would have to say, but Kyle looked very pale and rather sickly. "My turn," Thomas said and before Bella could fight him, he was heading over to Kyle.

"They're very protective of you," Edward mused with a small grin as Thomas took Kyle by the arm and pushed him back into the woods. He went quietly, shame swallowing his pride.

But Bella just shook her head in dismay. "He already feels bad about it."

"You went pretty easy on him."

She looked over to the house and saw Tanya standing on the doorway, and a dozen other eyes peering back at her. She hadn't forgotten how close she was to the house, but she'd managed to tune out the quiet words and steps. She felt Edward tense and wanted to just close her eyes. She was done with fights. "I can hardly punish him for defending his pack."

"Perhaps not, but he hurt you," she went on, her arms across her chest and she leaned against the door jamb, a passive expression on her face.

"Has none of your coven ever challenged you?"

Tanya smirked and nodded slowly. "Countless times."

"Yet here we all are," Bella shrugged. "Kyle has always been strong willed. He believes what he believes," Bella went on. "And in our current situation, I'm not going to hold a broken leg against him."

Tanya hummed and cast her eyes to the bottom of the garden, where her pack were watching with keen eyes, ready to step in at the first sign of trouble. "You are a good Alpha," Tanya said pleasantly, much to everyone's surprise.

But Bella merely shrugged. "A good Alpha would have seen Kyle struggling."

Tanya said nothing and the two locked eyes once again and Edward was lost, and having to peek in Tanya's mind for an inkling as to what was unfolding before him. Peace. This was Tanya's way of calling a truce on their unspoken fight and Bella was waving a white flag and inviting her over for tea. Tanya's mind was a peculiar place.

"You shouldn't leave," Tanya said after a few beats.

Bella looked away and down at her pack. She knew, from their earlier conversation, that they felt the same way. They were sleeping half as much and eating barely anything compared to what they were used to, and it was beginning to show. They'd never been happy to sit and do nothing, but between patrols there had been nothing at all. They couldn't afford to get lazy and sluggish.

"We want to stay," Rachel said quietly, looking at Tanya and then back to Bella. Her Alpha admired her courage. None of the others had the balls to speak to a vampire as of yet. Her pack mates all nodded, a small incline but a vote had been cast and Bella was outnumbered.

"Something has to change."

–

A few more hours and Bella was hobbling around, stiff and grumbling but mobile as much as Edward told her to sit and stay put. "She never listens," Thomas told him with a roll of his eyes. It had surprised him, how willing the pack had been to accept him. They had no qualms with him sitting with them or speaking to them while they ignored his family completely.

Esme and Alice had already vanished – disappearing on their way to Seattle to pick up what they'd ordered online. Bella hadn't been happy about it – more about the money, Edward suspected, than the actual object, but there was nothing they could do about that. So off she went, grumbling and angry but grateful all the same.

It was her job to take care of her pack, not take charity from vampires.

Ugh.

"It's nearly June," Lauren pointed out.

Edward, who had sat with the pack as they chatted and talked about Lana and Kyle, didn't understand the importance of such a statement but the wolves seemed to take note of it. "What are we going to do?"

Bella, who had been stubbornly washing her hair over the river looked over at them, suds flying everywhere. "What we always do."

Kyle had been accepted back. After everyone had, had their private words he had been permitted to approach and sit with them though he kept his opinions firmly to himself and his head low. He was on the proverbial naughty step, but his brother was already asking for input and coaxing him from his shame and bitterness. _This _was a family.

Bella hobbled over and sat down beside Edward, all stiff legged and awkward and scowling. He didn't offer his help, fearing she might just remove his head from his shoulders. "So... Moonlight" Thomas said from across the circle they had created. "How is this even going to work?"

"Like it always does," Bella said impatiently. Her hair was already drying – steam rising from her hair faintly. "It just won't be as big of a deal as usual."

"What is Moonlight?" Edward asked the group, confident now that they wouldn't kill him.

"It happens every year on the first moonlight of June," Thomas explained. "It's the Festival of the Wolf."

Edward looked around him, but all faces were serious and he turned to Bella for an explanation.

"Wolves are everywhere in our history," she said quietly, her grumbles fading as she looked around at her pack. "There are... certain beliefs and rituals that we have grown up with," she went on cautiously. "Some believe more than others."

Kim, for example, did not pray before taking down a kill or speak to the nature spirits. It wasn't that she didn't believe, just that, her generation hadn't been made to sit on the beach, around the fire and listen to Orson spin endless tales of warnings and rituals. He had sadly died fifteen years ago and his stories and beliefs had faded with him. "Once a year, our stories say that the White Wolf returns to her home in the stars and rests for a day, before returning to earth and watching over us all."

It was a nice thought, but Edward had always, and would always remain sceptical of anything magical or apparently God-like. He respected religion and those who believed and followed, so he nodded along.

"In that day, we pray and thank her for all that she has done for us; for the food and the happiness and the protection of the past year," Bella went on seriously, seeing Edward's disengagement all over his face. It didn't bother her, the same as Kim's didn't. You could not force someone to believe.

"And then we have a massive party and get drunk," Thomas butted in, dissolving into laughter as Ryan punched him in the arm.

The thought of Bella drunk was difficult to imagine but she just smiled and shook her head. "I don't think we'll be having much of a party this year."

It was only four days away.

"The vampires-" Thomas began with hard eyes.

"Will understand, I'm sure," she said quickly before turning her eyes to Edward as he sat beside her watching the exchange curiously. "We will be unable to patrol."

"We'll cover you," he assured her easily.

More vampires came.

There had been no warning or announcement until Edward had pulled his vibrating phone from his pocket and answered it. Still healing, Bella had little choice but to remain in her human form but gave permission for the others to phase if they wanted to. She knew the instinct to defend was strong and her wolves stayed close to her, protecting Edward as he stayed at her side and assured them all that the new arrivals were perfectly safe.

Safe was not a word they would use to describe a vampire.

There were four of them, all arriving on foot quickly and quietly from the north, escorted by Carlisle and Emmett into the house. Edward remained with Bella. "It's the Egyptian Coven," he told her, glad that, for once he could see her expression. She did not look happy. "Amun is the leader and Kebi is his mate. There are also Benjamin and Tia who are also mated," Edward said quietly. Bella merely grunted at him.

Edward felt more comfortable than he expected, when he looked around and found himself truly surrounded by ten foot beasts with all eyes trained on his house and family. Their paws were steady, ears attentive and ready – but there was no sign of aggression, not even from Kyle.

"_What are those beasts?" _A man asked from within the house. His thick accent morphed his words into something else, leaving Bella a moment to decipher what he was saying.

"_Werewolves," _Carlisle told him conversationally.

"_Werewolves! I will not-" _the man began, exploding in rage and spitting his words. Thomas twitched his ears.

"_They will not harm you, Amun. They are our allies," _Carlisle told him calmly. _"They have been within our territory for more than a week now, and we haven't had any trouble from them."_

"He is very protective of Benjamin," Edward whispered very quietly. He knew the wolves had much keener hearing than them, but was still surprised when eyes and heads turned in his direction. "He changed him because, even as a human, he was able to control fire. As a vampire, Benjamin can control each element," Edward told them.

Bella looked at him dubiously. "Great," she grumbled. "A vampire with even more power."

It was clear that this Amun was the leader as his voice was the only one any of them heard – and his voice was loud and gruff, bellowing and full of emotion and anger and bitterness. _"Had we known we would not have come!"_

"You are free to leave, if you think it too dangerous," Carlisle said tauntingly. Bella smirked.

"_Dangerous? Carlisle, you would have us consorting with werewolves! You know what the Volturi make of them-" _The Egyptian boomed, and Bella wished she could have seen his face. She had no idea what, or who the Volturi were; another question for later.

"_They are not werewolves," _Carlisle said evenly, contradicting himself. Bella turned her eyes to Edward who merely shook his head. _"They do not need the light of the moon to transform -as you can see for yourself. They are shape shifters, but call themselves werewolves" _Carlisle said.

But the man was not happy.

People moved and introduced themselves. Hands were shaken and greetings were made and grim smiles were exchanged. Edward excused himself and headed inside to make his own introductions and reveal his gift, which he was sure would pique Amun's interest. The wolves listened and waited as Edward shook his hands. "_You wreak of them," _he said rudely.

"The Alpha is my mate," Edward responded somewhat coldly.

"_Your mate?!" _Amun spat with disgust. Suddenly, Bella could appreciate Tanya's teenage antics over blatant revulsion. _"Impossible! She has tricked you-"_

"I very much doubt that," Edward responded dryly before moving on. He shook the hand of Kebi, who said nothing and looked at him like a pariah. Both of their minds were full of caution and fear. His family stood around him, ready and prepared to step in should the need arise. It was only then, he realised that though they did not like their presence, and that his family had no issue with the wolves or Bella. It warmed his heart.

He moved on to Benjamin, who looked no older than sixteen with curly black hair and a boyish grin that was mirrored in his mood and mind. He wondered at the wolves, at the possibility of meeting and speaking to them. _Are you the mind reader? _His mind has asked and Edward had smiled and said, "Yes."

"Amazing," he had breathed as their hands dropped. _That must get annoying._

"You wouldn't believe how much," Edward replied with a grim nod before moving on.

_This is Tia, _Benjamin thought, just enjoying knowing that someone was listening to his head and not his words. His mind swam with possibilities, and Edward realised just how close Amun kept his prodigy. "It's nice to meet you," he had said politely and she had smiled in return. Her mind was much calmer, and quieter than her mates.

_Can I meet them?_

"I am not sure that would be wise," Edward told Benjamin as he stepped back into the ranks of his family. He certainly didn't like the idea of a strange vampire around Bella when she was injured.

_Her pack will protect her, if need be, _Carlisle persuaded. _We won't let anything happen to them._

Benjamin watched the silent exchange with an enraptured smile and light in his eyes.

"I will ask," Edward said quietly before pushing open the patio doors and heading down the lawn, giving the wolves and Bella a look at their visitors and hopefully calming them a little. Bella's expression was impassive but she was on her feet and cautiously putting weight on her foot. She ignored his scowl. "You should be resting," he scolded quietly.

"Nice thought," she said quietly, exhaling heavily. "They want to meet?"

Edward nodded and the wolves moved from their positions, pulling themselves to their full height as they sat and kept their yellow eyes on the open doorway. Her leg wasn't up for a fight yet, and it wasn't ideal to allow a vampire too close. She wanted to say no. She should have said no, but this is what she did, this is what she had fought for, for so long. This was what made her better than Sam and Lana.

"Okay," she agreed after a long moment.

"You sure?" he asked looking down at her, not even trying to hide his concern. She nodded and he tried to hide his worry but she saw it in his eyes. He understood the need to prove themselves to be civil, to be friends and not enemies but this once, he had hoped that she'd put her own safety before the petty politics unfolding all around them.

So she took his hand, because he was one of them, an extension of her and a part of her pack and she was putting herself in danger and he didn't like it. She threaded her fingers through his and looked up at him, and he squeezed her hand and looked down with a tender smile. There were no orders given, not a word uttered but the wolves moved to flank Bella and Edward – with Thomas and Ted standing with their snouts barely a foot behind them, and the others beside them.

Benjamin emerged first. He was small, barely five foot five and thin like he hadn't had his growth spurt yet. He was one of the youngest Bella had ever laid eyes on. His eyes shone crimson but bright and his smile seemed to be untameable as he made his way down the lawn, his hand clasped in that of a girl. She looked much more reserved, his crimson eyes tight and stern. Both were undeniably beautiful. Bella envied her hair – and the way it curled and shone in the gentle breeze.

Edward kept his mind on Benjamin and his intentions. Though he had felt nothing but boyish excitement from his mind, he still didn't trust him. He doubted he would have trusted Jasper with an injured Bella. "Hello," Benjamin said as soon as he came to a stop, only two feet from Bella and her wolf pack. His lack of fear was admirable, if not foolish.

Bella smiled and inclined her head in greeting, "Hello."

Had he been human, he would have wet himself. "You'll have to forgive me," he said quickly. "I have seen many things in my lifetime, but _never _anything like these beasts," he said, his voice filled with awe as he looked at Thomas and his yellow eyes.

He growled quietly.

"Hush," Bella snapped quietly, resting her free hand on his flank. He growl was silenced.

"I did not mean any offence," Benjamin hastened to tell them all. "Merely that, with such strength and size I do not see why you would need our aid."

Bella accepted his word. It had only been Thomas who had take the _beast _thing personally anyway.

"We would rather be too safe than risk the loss of allies, or of the human population," Bella said fluently, as if she were speaking off cue cards.

"You care for the humans as the Cullen's do?" the woman at his side said, her voice quiet but musical and she smiled shyly from Benjamin's side. She saw him squeeze her hand in encouragement.

"We belong to a tribe not too far from here. We protect our people," Bella said softly. "But we also care for the innocents in the area."

"Fascinating," Benjamin breathed. Tia smiled endearingly and Bella did her best to contain her own because this little vampire was far from anything she'd imagined. "Are there more of you?"

She hesitated for a moment. "My pack is split at the moment – between the Cullen's and our home," she said evenly, giving away nothing of the turbulent relationship with the council or what remained of the pack in Neah Bay. "We have twenty wolves in total."

Eyebrows were raised.

"Will you all be fighting?" Tia asked quietly.

"Yes, along with the Quileute Pack," Bella said.

"How many..." Benjamin asked.

"Thirty two wolves in total," Bella said with a small smile.

To say that Amun wasn't happy was a gross understatement. He spent two hours arguing, at first with Carlisle, then with Edward and then with Benjamin. He wanted to leave and cursed Carlisle for _trapping _him and luring him and his coven into a fight under false pretences.

It was true that there were plenty of wolves – lots of them in fact, but the fact remained that newborns were not their forte. Bella was worried that, between the new vampires and newborns, some allies might fall to wolf claws by accident. Of course she didn't dare voice such worries with Amun still throwing a tantrum in the house. He and his mate had not come to greet her and she couldn't say that she would too upset about it.

Benjamin had gone back inside with Tia and the wolves remained on point and attentive to the possibly explosive situation. "That went well," Edward had said, kissing the back of her hand before heading inside to deal with the carnage that was quickly unfolding.

Bella checked on her leg and gently prodded around at the muscle, finding it only a little tender and when she tried to walk a twinge shot up to her thigh, but nothing excruciating. Edward would go mad, but she couldn't be stuck to the spot for the next twenty four hours.

She was about to send them all to hunt when there was a very loud _honk _from the drive, and the sound of crunching gravel. She knew what it was of course, but it was much larger than she'd imagined and she was pretty sure she hadn't agreed to _this. _The arguments were paused for a moment as the huge monstrosity was driven around the house and down the lawn, towards Bella and her wolves with Esme behind the wheel.

They'd told her they were going to find her a mobile home - something small, mobile but comfortable. This vehicle was bigger than her house back on the Res and she stared, wondering whether to cry with relief or demand to see receipts so she could start repaying her debt – not that she had any money to her name.

"What do you think?" Alice asked as she hopped out of the front, jumping down the eight foot drop to the floor and landing lithely, with a proud smile.

"It's..." her words failed her. "_Huge."_

"We did get a little carried away," the little vampire admitted, holding out the keys to Bella who took them with numb hands, her eyes never leaving the monster parked in front of them. It stood twenty eight foot long, pure black and shining. She had never owned anything so expensive, and had grown with a healthy disgust got those who had such money to splash so recklessly. She didn't know the rules with these vampires. She could tell that the others were similarly stunned since they hadn't so much as growled or moved to protect her from Alice.

"A little?" Bella repeated with disbelief.

"We thought you might as well be comfortable," Alice said a little more seriously, but still had a smile fixed on her face. She bounced a little on the tips of her toes. Esme exited the cab and approached Bella with a meek smile.

"I did try to reign her in, but she twisted my arm," she said to the woman who still looked stunned.

She'd never been _given _anything with such value. Thomas had saved up his pocket money and bought her a second hand iPod from Port Angeles when they were thirteen – it was, by far, the most valuable thing she owned. "We'll leave you to look around," she said kindly before steering Alice away.

Her pack was there, all eager and in awe of the beast in front of them. They'd never seen anything like it before. Sure, tourists had passed through the reservation or taken a wrong turn but they'd never gotten to poke around inside one.

It was much bigger than it appeared. Not only was there a living room, complete with a sofa big enough for all nine of them, but a dining table, a kitchen with running water – hot and cold – and an oven. _Holy shit. _Down a little hallway was not one, but two bathrooms with showers and flushing toilets.

It was the little things you take for granted.

There were five bedrooms, and the little leaflet tacked to the front of the cupboard told her that the sofas pulled out to two double beds. _Shit._

Not only had the Cullen's taken them in, but they were actually looking after them as well.

The wolves made no attempts to hide their pleasure as they threw themselves down on the sofas, groaning at the feel of the padding against their aching limbs. The ground was okay, but not for prolonged periods of time. Rachel, an avid baker, poked around the kitchen and oven while Bella traipsed through to one of the bedrooms. They would rotate rooms, just to be fair.

Ryan and Kim called the showers first. Ted, John, Lauren, Thomas and Kyle all claimed the bedrooms and Bella didn't argue. Her and Rachel sat on the sofas, looking around. Everything was beautiful – from the plush carpet, to the fireplace and curtains. There was a faint trace of sickly vampire but no-one complained.

"If you want to get some sleep..." Bella said as Rachel yawned.

She left them to it, taking herself back outside. She still didn't know how she felt about it. She was grateful, but her stubborn need to prove herself was prevalent and her pride was a little dinted by what appeared to be a simple gesture by Edward's family. She had nothing to give back to them, and it annoyed her.

Carlisle met her outside, sat back under her tree as if the motor home wasn't even there. She didn't stand to meet him since her leg was still a bit achy, but looked up and smiled. He wasn't beyond a bit of dirt, and she'd been surprised when he'd lowered himself to the ground beside her. "It's something to behold isn't it," he said meaning the motor home.

He saw the discomfort written all over her face. He was glad she didn't try to hide it.

"I am very grateful to you Carlisle," she said solemnly. "You allow us on your land-"

"You are our allies," he said pointedly. He could hear the snores of the wolves within the vehicle, as well as the trickling water and endless scrubbing of those in the shower. "And you have more than earned anything we can offer."

"I-"

"Without you, Edward would be dead," he said plainly, with a pinch to his brow and worry shining in his eyes. He wanted her to know that she wasn't a nuisance to him. He wanted everyone in the house to know that she was welcome here, above them all. She had proven herself time and time again and he would vouch for her. "And I respect you on a personal level."

She frowned at the man beside her.

"You follow what you believe. You stand up for yourself, and you are fair and kind with your pack..." he said conversationally. "You have shown so much patience and faith in my family, and my kind," he said with sincere smile. "I am ashamed to say we haven't shown you the same."

"So you're buying my favour?" Bella said with a smirk. She didn't so well with compliments. As much as she knew she was a good Alpha, it wasn't often anyone shared in the sentiment.

"Hardly," Carlisle coughed with a laugh. "That's Alice. She has a good heart," he said with a fond smile. "You're not happy with it."

"No," she hastened to correct him. "We've never seen anything like it," she told him frankly. "We don't have money in Neah Bay. The council handle everything," she explained quietly. "We're not used to... luxuries. It's not that I'm not grateful..." she said but her words were coming out all wrong.

"But?"

"It's difficult accepting help from you. I should be the one to be protecting and taking care of them, and I can't."

"It's only money, Bella," Carlisle admonished kindly. "They would follow you anywhere," he added wistfully. "Even onto enemy territory, it seems."

And she smiled because he was teasing her and it was easy. They settled into silence, listening to her family snore and his argue with Amun as he criticised everything from their diet, to the décor of the bedroom Esme had prepared for them. "You make him happy," Carlisle said quietly.

She knew he was speaking of Edward, but she kept her eyes on the house ahead of her.

"He's been alone for more than a hundred years," Carlisle went on with a sigh. "Living with three mates couples... hasn't been easy for him, especially with his ability. We travelled a lot, hoping he would find her in a corner of the world somewhere," he admitted, and shrugged at Bella's critical stare. "We wanted him to find what we had."

She couldn't imagine what it would have been like for him – frozen as he was so young, trapped but happy with his family, always on the edge, always missing something. It made her sad, knowing he had been so alone but she had been here for fifteen years.

"I am glad Edward found you," Carlisle said in a whisper, though he knew his son was listening very intently. "We all are," he added. "Not just because you are his mate, but because you fit into our family in a way we never even considered."

"The guard dog?" Bella scoffed, remembering Tanya's comment.

"Our equal," Carlisle corrected softly. "I think, if we could overcome the smell..." he said with wry smile. "You are very welcome in our family, Isabella."

He left her, with warm smiles and an open invitation to come up to the house whenever she wanted – which wasn't any time soon, but she was glad for the meaning there.

_She was welcome._

Whether she'd realised it or not, having Edward's family against her had been a crushing weight on her chest. She knew the warmth she'd seen in Carlisle wasn't shared equally with his family, but there was a an opening for her within the ranks. She saw how her own family had accepted Edward effortlessly, without hesitation or command, and hoped they could do the same with his family though it might have been too much to ask.

She was exhausted.

She hadn't slept in two days. She had patrolled, attacked, defended and bartered and she was spent but she could not rest. Her pack lay sleeping, vulnerable and tired it was left to her to stand guard; another downside to the walls and heated flooring that contained her pack. It wasn't too easy to protect yourself from inside a motor home as it was out in the open. All it would take was one of them phasing in the kitchen, to get too rowdy and throw someone through the wall and it would be ruined.

Jasper felt her fatigue, and looked out of the window wondering how long she could possibly sustain herself when she was bordering on unconsciousness. She didn't show any outward sign of exhaustion beside the dark lines beneath her eyes, and he was left to think how long she could go without resting before her body gave in.

Hours passed and she was aware of the eyes on her, but the vampires were busy learning about their new allies and Bella was left to her own devices. The rain began to fall and still she remained outside because a wolf should never be caged, even if it did cost thousands of dollars and have central heating. They were made for the open sky and forests of the world, to breath in the salty air and run free.

Still, she couldn't say she was unhappy when Thomas emerged, stretching and smiling and jumping down from the little door, ignoring the steps that lead to the floor. There were no words as she heaved herself up and took herself away. She didn't care that he hadn't made the bed, or that there was dirt on the sheets. The mattress was achingly comfortable and she didn't even shut the door as she fell into a deep, consuming slumber.

There was an unspoken rule that was shared by every person on the Cullen's land – including, it seemed, the birds. Bella was not to be awoken, at any cost. She had been away from the Tribe for a week and a half now, and she had barely eaten, barely slept or bathed and she had sacrificed enough for them all. They roused and silently closed her bedroom door, and left her to her dreams as they filtered outside to join Thomas.

Rachel found the cupboards to be fully stocked with all kinds of food and set about cooking up a killer breakfast – using every slice of bread, every strip of bacon and egg and anything she could get her hands on. They were all starving.

Nothing woke her; not the crackling fat in the frying pan or the loud shouts as breakfast was handed out on plates, piled high and smoking hot. It didn't matter. The vampires watched in mild disgust as each wolf, man and woman, devoured every morsel as if it were their last. Knives and forks were forgotten, manners abandoned as toast and beans and chips, and sausages and ketchup vanished into the cavern of their stomachs.

It took less than four minutes. The plates were piled to one side and the pack sat nursing bloated stomachs and lighter minds. It was amazing what decent sleep could give you. Gone was the urge to strike and snap, and the urge to cross the border and risk the wrath of Lana and the council to see their families. Their resolve strengthened.

"We need more food," Rachel reminded them.

"We'll head into town later," Thomas dismissed quickly. It was too peaceful to start talking about plans and faults. _"This _is good."

It didn't matter that sixteen vampires stood a hundred foot away, or that rain was falling in a mist and what looked like a storm was rolling in. Things were looking up.

* * *

Come on guys... just one review? I'll give you cookies... :)


	10. Chapter 10

A whole day was lost in bed. Still, she dreamt of nothing and awoke slowly and happily, allowing her mind to lift effortlessly from the realm of dream into her new reality. The room was dark but she could see the wall only a few inches from her face, and feel the cool breeze of an open door or window somewhere in the bus.

She wrenched herself from beneath the heavy duvet, as difficult as it was, and got to her feet. A careful wiggle of her toes and flex of her knee hold her, her leg was back to normal and she went in search of a bathroom. Not only was there hot water, but shampoo and show gel and a hairbrush and a mirror and all the home comforts she'd convinced herself she could live without, but _damn _it was nice having them back.

Dirt and mud fell from her hair and she stood beneath the water until it ran cold and she hastened to grab a towel. She allowed herself to dare dream, and could have kissed Alice when she pulled open a drawer and pulled out a clean, freshly bought shirt. It was her size, as was the bras and underwear she found in another drawer.

With renewed energy, Bella crept from the bedroom area and through into the kitchen, expecting to find her pack loitering, waiting for her. There sat a plate of unimaginable food – every breakfast you could possibly imagine piled onto one lonely plate, and a little note from Rachel.

_Enjoy x_

Moods, it seemed, had lifted dramatically.

She ate quickly and ravenously, demolishing the food in a few minutes and washing the plate quickly in the sink before heading back to the bathroom to brush her teeth. She found nine different coloured toothbrushes in a little drawer and smiled as she snagged an orange one and tore the wrapper open.

When she threw open the door a few minutes later, she half expected birds to burst into song and the sun to shine down on her like an angel. The birds were busy sleeping and the moon hung heavy and silent above her, so she settled her imagination to more realistic goals and smiled at Thomas as he watched her. She looked a damn sight better than she had in the past month.

"Oh my God," she all but moaned as she folded herself on the floor beside her pack. "I missed my bed."

It had been too long since she'd felt thoroughly well slept, without the haze of tiredness creeping into her mind. She sky was pink and blue as the sun began to sink below the trees and the air was cold and damp but it was good.

It was good.

It was light and free and smiles were easily shared among them. They talked about the beast of a bus, about how much it cost and joked about the money the vampires probably had holed away somewhere. They laughed, joking about how good they looked for their ages and it was nothing at all. Finally with a full belly, she could have fallen fast asleep again but she stopped herself over indulging. It wouldn't do to get into a lax routine.

"They stopped arguing about three hours ago," Ted said as he lay on his back, his arms pillowed behind his head as he waited for the sky to darken. "He and his mate decided to leave."

"Really?" Bella asked disbelievingly.

Cowards.

"He seemed to think we were going to eat him or something," Ryan snickered and his pack joined him in his quiet joke. Vampires were not palatable.

"What about Benjamin?" Bella asked quickly.

"_Not so quick to run from things I do not understand," _he answered as he stood in the doorway of the living room smiling down at them all. Bella smiled back.

"I did not mean to divide your coven," she said sincerely.

"It was a long time coming," he said with a small shrug, speaking no louder than a whisper and being amused when the she-wolf heard him without trouble. "A little freedom could do me some good."

"Freedom has its price," Bella warned solemnly.

He had gathered the situation with the wolves from Carlisle. He had been dubious telling him anything but Benjamin was determined and Edward seemed okay with it. There was nothing viscous in the boys mind. Ben nodded at her warning, knowing what her bond with the vampire had cost her. Her freedom wasn't so well met but her pack had come to her aid, and it had cost them dearly.

He didn't really have a home, but if he had, he wouldn't like to be banished.

–

Nine days.

They had nine days until those vampires traipsed through the area. "There's a huge clearing about forty miles east," Emmett said. "We use it for baseball."

Smiles shone all around. "You play baseball?" Thomas repeated with a small bark of a laugh.

Emmett simply shrugged and smiled. "It's remote and quiet – perfect for the annihilation of a newborn army."

"We'll check it out," Bella said with a grateful nod. In honesty, it was the only solution they'd been able to come up with. They needed somewhere open, far from humans and civilisation, and not too close to the sea for an easy exit. "Do you seriously play baseball?"

Emmett laughed, his eyes shining as he looked down at her incredulous expression. "We'll have a tournament some time," he said easily.

Thomas scoffed and Bella rolled her eyes. "Like you could _ever _win."

She left them to their boyish taunts. It was an unusually sunny day, and the vampires were making the most of the weather which left the wolves a little more than wary as their invisible boundaries were tested and crossed. Edward was there with them, talking and trying to diffuse the stares and tension that had suddenly fallen upon the pack but he found their gaze to be unwavering until the moment Emmett had walked quickly, and purposefully straight up to Bella and said, "Y'alright?"

She'd been defensive, muscles taught and rigid and ready, Edward suspected, to tear anyone who stepped close enough, in two. But at the smile on Emmett's face Bella's face broke out into the smallest grin and she squinted up at him, shielding her eyes from the sun. "Not too shabby," she'd said simply. "Yourself?"

"Eh," he shrugged non-committally. "Room-mates are getting annoying," he said with a wry smile before folding himself on the floor right there in front of Edward and her, surrounded by wolves. He was huge – easily rivalling John in height and width but he had a grin that reminded her of Thomas in his teenage years.

"Risky," Edward warned quietly.

"It's fine," Emmett dismissed quickly and easily, while his mate stood watching from the living room brimming with fury.

"I think Rose might disagree," Edward commented meekly.

"We need to plan this shit," Emmett argued impatiently. "It's all well and good tiptoeing around and shaking hands but we need to co-ordinate."

And so he had shared with her everything Alice had seen. "Is it solid?"

"Her visions are not one hundred percent," Edward had told her quickly. He'd already explained the nature of Alice's' abilities to her. "But the date has never changed."

She could see nothing now. With Sam and Bella's packs both helping her vision had been completely obliterated and they had only what she had seen two weeks ago before they'd called on the wolves for help. They had to wait the storm; a storm that would shake the earth and send the forest tumbling to the ground. She cast her eyes skyward, noting the storm that was going to hit in a few hours time.

Emmett had referenced the clearing and, slowly but surely the mention of baseball had Thomas thawing and smiling back to the vampire. He loved the game.

"It's not safe," Bella found herself lamenting for the fourth time to not only Thomas, but Emmett and Edward as well.

"We can only have a nine sided team anyway -" Thomas argued with her easily, as he so often did. "The others can keep watch."

"You want to compromise our safety for a game of baseball?" Bella clarified with raised eyebrows.

"Yes."

She laughed, shook her head and looked to Edward for some help. Unfortunately it seemed that he was also up for the challenge. "Alice can't see anything. We won't know if we're being attacked until it's too late-"

"Fucks sake Bella," Thomas moaned. "There's nine wolves and fourteen vampires. I think we can look after ourselves."

But she was stubborn.

"It is not worth the risk for a few laughs," she countered, feeling nasty and evil, like a school teacher shouting at the kids to stop playing and come inside on a beautiful sunny day. Edward said nothing of it but Emmett looked mighty put out by her firm foot.

"It could be another way to get to know one another," he offered weakly.

"I don't think competing is a good way to make friends," she said with a wicked smile.

She reminded Emmett of Esme, which startled Edward to a degree. _Motherly, _was how he described it. With Emmett's thoughts running through his mind he could see it. He remembered her words to Carlisle, about how it was her duty to care for her pack, not his. She was critical of them all but fiercely protective should anyone else decide to voice their negative opinions.

"When all of this is over..." she said with a sigh, not wanting to seem like a ruthless dictator.

"We're just bored," Emmett admitted.

She almost forgot how they usually went to _school. _The memory made her smile. "Missing classes?"

Was she teasing them?

"We learned a great deal, I will have you know..." Emmett defended weakly.

Her remark and his feeble attempt to justify it gave her pack the confidence to hit back at him, teasing and laughing and being quite brutal. She was sure, if Edward and Emmett could blush they would have done. To be frank, the very concept of vampires pretending to be high school students was utterly ridiculous. Call it an initiation, call it bullying but her pack were joking and teasing Emmett like they would do a pack-mate, whether the vampire recognised that yet or not.

There was a great _crack _and all conversation was silenced as heads turned to Benjamin, who sat with Tia away from everyone else around the corner of the house. They could all see him, eyes closed and face slack as he sat on the ground with his palms pressed against the soil. They saw the earth split and gape wide open.

"Holy shit," Thomas said as he got to his feet to get a better look. He looked down at Bella with a knowing smirk. "And you're worried about a game of baseball."

She punched him.

He punched her.

And a scuffle ensued that sent both vampires scattering back across the river for fear of getting entangled in the flying limbs and cackled laughter as the pair rolled and pinned and struck one another. Edward's first instinct was to pull her away and kill Thomas for daring to lay a finger on her, but her easy smirk and lunge silenced his worries. He knew she could handle herself.

He looked over to Esme, smiling with enormous gratitude. It had been her idea to get a motor home – and while an eye sore and ruining the small patch of still pristine grass, it patently made all the difference to the pack. He hadn't seen Bella so playful or relaxed _ever. _And her pack were laying around the jostling pair, laughing and tossing in their two cents.

He understood how a lone wolf could be so depressed.

He saw the family, the love and the affection there between them all.

–

A distant howl rang out.

It was early morning and the sun had slipped away the night previous, dousing them in ice cold rain and sending them all inside the camper. It was warm and dry but cramped. They all preferred the outside, but the fire held them in place. It had been four in the morning when they'd heard it – the first howl. The others had been sleeping while Bella and John stayed awake to keep watch. They kept the door open and Bella sat on the steps just beyond the reach of the rain.

She loved the smell.

She loved the sound of rain pelting against the surface of the river.

She liked the rain that fell in grey sheets that obscured the skies and trees.

Her pack was awake abruptly. "Stay put," she ordered them. She was on her feet in an instant, a wolf replacing her human form as she leapt from the shelter and out into the chilly morning rain. John was a moment behind her, landing on four paws lithely, his mind quiet and patient as they stared out into the woods. The eyes of vampires crowded the windows and she could see Benjamin watching them with excited eyes.

A second howl rang out and they were gone – pushing dirt and earth behind them as they headed north. It was away from La Push and Neah Bay – but unmistakably, a wolf.

_Be prepared for an attack, _Bella warned John.

She liked running with him. Not only was he one of the smartest, wisest men in her company but he knew how to quieten his mind to a mumble and didn't deluge her with pointless observations about trees and how pretty the sun looked in the morning. The vampires did not follow, and her pack remained alert.

It was only fifteen minutes later when she returned, sprinting back to the house without John. Her feet took her to her pack that congregated in front of the motor home. "Our family," she said the moment she phased.

"Family?" Thomas repeated with confusion.

"The Festival," she said, as though this explained everything.

Bella left her pack smiling and excited and made the heavy journey to the house. Carlisle was there, throwing the back doors open and waiting for her words. "Humans are coming."

"Your family?" Carlisle asked.

"It is customary for the Festival," Bella said quickly.

"They will not be harmed," Carlisle said.

"This is more than squabbles," she pressed with hard eyes. "If any of them are hurt in _any _way, we will defend and attack as we see fit," she warned him, every inch the Alpha and wolf that she was as she stared him down. "I need your word Carlisle, Tanya," she said, letting her eyes slide past the dozens of eyes to the pair that regarded her with cautious intrigue.

"You have it," Tanya said after a moment. "They will not be touched."

"Any _nomad," _she said, her eyes settling on Garret. "That might decide to test his luck will be hunted and killed."

Garret bowed his head in mock understanding but he had no intention of testing the wolves wrath.

"You have our word," Benjamin said, in a rare sign of maturity.

John escorted them up the Cullen's drive. They were split into four cars, all rusted and in various states of disrepair. They were not a rich community. Heart beats thudded and ached as they stepped from the cars, slamming doors and following John's quiet instruction to go around the side of the house.

Thomas' mother was there, her hand covering her mouth as her tears flowed freely, her eyes landing on her only son. He ran to her, becoming a boy once again as he engulfed her in his arms, resting his head on her shoulder. His shoulders shook in quiet grief as her arms wrapped around his shoulders and held him together.

Another woman rounded the corner, eyes dry but not for long as Kim, Ryan and Kyle all shouted _"Mom!" _she ran to greet her. She, too, was lost in hugs and tears and kisses.

Ted's wife had come with their daughter – who was no older than one as she cooed and dribbled as he scooped her up and hugged the pair of them tightly. John's brother was there, offering a brotherly embrace and a slap on the back.

Bella waited with Rachel. The girl had no family to speak of, and was unbelievably surprised when Penny squeezed between all of the hugging families to squint across the lawn at her best friend. A strangled sob ripped from Rachel before she propelled herself across the lawn and into her waiting arms, dissolving into fits of tears and laughter as they toppled to the floor.

And there was her Grandpa, stood with his walking stick staring back at her with penetrating grey eyes and a grim expression. He was a small man – standing only a few inches above her as he stooped in his old age. His skin was heavily wrinkled and thin and he looked so brittle among the younger people around him. But she knew, not only from experience but from his rigid spine and unyielding authority, that he was not to be trifled with. She did not run to him. She did not feel the overwhelming urge to embrace this man. Instead, she walked up the lawn and he met her as quickly as he could. His legs did not move as quickly as they once did. Their hug was quick and he stepped away swiftly as she swallowed the lump in her throat and hid her tears. "I've missed you kid."

She laughed, because she was thirty five; far from a child.

The rain gave way to grey clouds and the humans were guided down the lawn. They stared at the huge monstrosity that parked oddly on the curve of the garden and marvelled at the white, three storey house. The vampires watched and waited.

This was unknown territory.

Parents cooed and coddled, tutting at the mud on their clothes and uncombed hair.

"You've lost weight," Bella's grandpa had observed quietly, eyes hard and pinning as she had taken his arm and helped their slow progress down the grass. "Have you not hunted?"

"Not much game when vampires are around," she sighed, but knew it wouldn't be the end of it. She expected a lecture on taking care of herself – _another one, _but instead her grandfather fell silent and his usual smiling demeanour was cold and distant. It worried her. While the families and friends were not beyond sitting on the wet grass, Bella would not see the same for her Grandpa. She took him inside the motor home, expecting a whistle of appreciation.

He said nothing.

And she began to worry, because she knew her actions had affected the entire tribe and she didn't know even half of what had happened in Neah Bay. She had been given insight into the lies and stories spread by the council and Lana to smear her family name. She hoped he did not blame her for this, but family honour was everything, especially to the older generation. If everything else fell away, you had to retain honour and dignity to your family and tribe.

So she waited as he sat on the 'L' shaped sofa, as he set his walking stick aside and rubbed his hands together. He could barely look at her, but she sat silently beside him and waited for him to voice whatever he had on his mind.

"I need to speak with you," he said gruffly, sitting up a little straighter and turning his watery eyes to her. She saw sadness there – more than she'd ever seen before, and something constricted in her lungs. She wondered if she could order everyone away. She could see the sombre expression and feel the heaviness in the air around them.

She said nothing. Outside, her pack were far too distracted with their families and catching up and complaining about Lana and the council to pay her any mind.

"Bella..." her grandpa said, shaking his head and looking down at his shoes, now muddy from his foray across the lawn. "I am sorry."

She waited, a sinking in her gut freezing her questions in her throat. She wondered what his tongue would have to say of Edward, of her appearance in Neah Bay the days previous, of the fight with Sam. She hadn't spoken to him of any of it, but he was bound to know.

"Your father..." he began but faded to nothing. She blinked, confused.

"Your father is alive, Bella."

She stared at him, unable to think of the words he'd said. "No," she argued dimly. "He died-"

"No, he didn't," her grandfather told her sharply, his hands clasping one another in his lap as he seemed to steady his resolve. "He didn't fall in battle."

"But..." she said, but there was nothing more in her mind.

_Impossible._

"He ran, Bella."

_Ran?_

"But the pack..." she said quietly, cold all over and apparently unable to even think coherently.

"He abandoned them – running off and splitting with his brothers," her grandfather spat, a fire suddenly raging in his eyes. Bella felt numb. "He imprinted on one of the attacking vampires," he went on savagely. "He couldn't face killing her, so he fled instead."

_No._

"He wouldn't-"

"_He did!" _her grandpa bellowed. If anyone was ignorant to their discussion before, they certainly weren't anymore. She had the overwhelming urge to slam the door shut – to take her grandpa somewhere silent and remote to have this conversation but he didn't understand the range of hearing they possessed. "He destroyed our families honour that day," he said stoically.

"Only the council and I were to know," he went on. "Anyone left of the old pack were killed in an attack a few months later, and ordered to silence until their dying breath," he said solemnly.

"Why tell me now?"

_After all these years?_

_After all I have done?_

Because she believed him. Her grandpa was a good, honest man and he had never lied to her before even when the truth was pain and brutal. She knew his words were not false and it made it impossible.

"Because the council are planning to use it against you."

Because of Edward.

Because she, too, had imprinted on a vampire and fled, abandoning her pack.

"That's why they hate me," she whispered hoarsely.

She struggled.

"I have tried to convince them..."

She looked away, shielding her tears from him as she wiped them on her sleeve. There was a thought crushing her chest, obliterating her happiness. Knowing that, not only was she not enough as a mere baby to hold her mother, but her father had cast her aside also, out of cowardice and fear and instead chose to run. She knew it was not about her – none of it was about her, but it should have been. She was their daughter, their child but they had not wanted that responsibility or burden.

She was angry. She felt too betrayed, too bitter at her grandpa. His lies had spanned decades.

"You lied," she spat, her anger getting the better of her. "All this time-"

"I was protecting you Bella," he said strongly. "I saw the way you watched your father. You idolised him – you dedicated your life to _becoming _him!" he cried in outrage. "You were far too young to understand!" she dismissed. "It would have destroyed you."

"And now?"

He looked over at her, so suddenly and so openly, in a way he never had before. She showed him her tears, showed him her trembling chin and shaking hands because he had taught her to be strong and overcome everything in her path but this, this she could not set aside.

"You are an amazing young woman," he said quietly. "I should have told you sooner, but there was never a good time. I..." he trailed off and sighed. "I am very sorry Bella."

And he got up and left her, making his way slowly down the steps of the motor home to the outside world. The humans had no idea why the pack were silent and meek. They didn't know why they looked at Grandpa Swan like he'd cursed their first-born sons and looked away quickly. The Pack heard the slow steps, the thud of a door shutting and the _so, so _soft whimpers as their friend, their leader crumbled and shattered behind them. They gave her privacy and respect.

But Thomas was over it.

"Fuck this," he muttered as he kissed his mother on the cheek, ignoring her questions as he got to his feet and went into the motor home. He slammed the door shut, marched down the hallway and into the bedroom. He saw her curled up in the darkness, her eyes clamped shut against her mind or his presence, he wasn't sure.

He knew what her father had meant to her. He knew how her faint, faded memories had fuelled her, how she prayed at night, how she kept him close to her heart and hoped he would be proud of her, even now.

"Bells..." he said quietly as she shook and cried, because he'd never seen her so torn or upset and it hurt. It hurt knowing he could do nothing. If Elders weren't so highly respected, he might have just swung for old Grandpa Swan. Instead he stayed with his best friend, his sister, his Alpha because she was done being strong, being hard and immobile. She was crumbling right before his eyes.

The room was tiny – not big enough for him to creep over to her but they'd seen too much of one another to be shy.

She didn't complain when she felt the mattress dip, or when hands pulled her up and turned her around. She just wanted to cry. So when she found herself surrounded by a warm, comforting scent and solid arms she allowed herself to fall apart. She was quiet but her hands held onto Thomas' arm with a grip of a dying man and he did nothing other than rub a thumb on her hand and gently shush her every now and again. There, holed in that tiny little room, she wished she could have stayed forever.

She wanted to cast off the Alpha role, and put a million leagues between her and her people because nothing was straight forward anymore.

The vampires knew. They had heard. Edward was, obviously angry with this old man who saw fit to dump such destroying news on Bella without any tact. He cared for her, blatantly, but he couldn't have been any more cold or hard if he had tried. It was quite obvious where Bella had learned to hide her emotions. He sat to one side, on a stump another wolf had grudgingly gone to find, silent and waiting for his granddaughter to emerge. He didn't hear the sobs they all could.

"What will this do?" Carlisle asked quietly.

"It depends," Edward replied monotonously, feeling as upset and angry as his mate did. "Her father was her reason for being an Alpha in the first place. It could destroy her, or make her even stronger."

"_You hear that?" _Thomas whispered so silently in her ear.

She wasn't used to crying, to getting so deep and lost in thought and emotion that all else fell away to inconsequential nonsense. She had cried enough. She had hurt enough, not only for her grandfather and his lies but for her father and his betrayal. She had never been overly good at being the victim. It left far too much weakness exposed.

She had heard Edward's words, had heard his concern for her. She could hear the humans wondering where she was and why Thomas had slammed the door. They wondered, quietly and amongst themselves, why glares were aimed at Grandpa Swan?

So she pulled herself away and sat on the bed, her back against the wall as she closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. Her lungs stuttered. She had a head ache and her vision was blurry at the very best.

"I can hit him if you'd like."

She smiled, small and weak but it was there.

There was no doubt in anyone's mind that Grandpa Swan was telling the truth, but now the truth seemed too much to believe. "You want to talk about it?"

She opened her eyes and stared at the wall opposite, ignoring her best friend that sat against the pillows and stared at her. He let her think, let her breath and take her time because her mind was fucked and running in a million different directions without moving at all. "I... I just..." she began but she didn't know. "I don't know."

"Ii explains a lot," she said after clearing her throat and wiping her eyes on the back of her hand. "With the council, I mean. They never liked me, and now I know why."

"You're not your father, Bella," Thomas said softly.

"But I am. That's all I have wanted to be my whole life," she said feebly as she stared blankly at the wall. It made her doubt herself. If her father who, on all accounts, had been one of the greatest Alpha's the tribe had ever seen, had succumbed then was there any hope for her? Was there anything she wouldn't sacrifice for Edward? She thought about killing him, to save Thomas but she couldn't and it killed a part of her, knowing that he held such power over her.

"He ran."

"So did I," Bella whispered.

"No. You stepped aside and let the council drag you through the dirt. You were willing to never see Edward again, until Sam stepped in," he said quickly. "You stuck it out until you had to chose between exile or being a human for the rest of your life," he said as if it were dirty.

To them, it was.

"Everything I have done, I have done for him," she said sadly. "I did it _because _of him."

"He wasn't there holding you hand when you became Alpha. He hasn't been there for the past twelve years when you've led us. That has been _you, _not your father, not the council and not your grandfather. They might have guided you, but you made you..." he paused. "If that makes sense."

"If you ever get bored of being a wolf you should look into motivational speaking," she said, glancing at him from the corner of her eye.

"Like I could ever get bored of being a wolf," he scoffed.

She was good at dodging.

"I'll be fine," she said, clearing her throat once again and shrugging.

In reality, nothing changed. Her circumstances were still the same. She was still an outcast, still fighting this war with the newborns and still the Alpha. News of her father had not robbed her of anything, other than faith and trust. She had to be strong.

"What about Grandpa Swan?" he pushed with a hard voice.

She got to her feet, putting off answering.

"Aren't you angry with him?" he asked incredulously.

"Yes," Bella said with a small laugh. "But... I understand why he did it," she sighed. "He'd never do anything to hurt me – not intentionally, and he lost his son too. He brought shame on the entire family and he had to cover it up..."

It must have been so painful, to look at her, at seven years old, in the face and tell her that her father was dead, that he was a hero when he had been nothing more than a traitor. He should have told her then, when she was younger. "God knows what would have happened if he had told me."

"You'd still be Alpha," he said with a shrug, as if it weren't even in question. He followed her out of the room and out into the kitchen. She could see her grandfather sat, alone and quiet on a damp log apart from everyone else. She saw the hard stare and death grip on his walking stick and she _understood. _

She washed her face and went outside to join the others. They saw her red eyes and weak smiles, and Thomas' mother asked what had happened but quieted when her son shook his head. Her eyes were only for her grandfather, who studiously ignored her exit from the motor home, despite her slamming the door a little too loud.

She went to him, quiet and respectful and ignored the glares and stares of her pack behind her as she knelt on the wet grass beside that stump and gently clasped her hand within hers. He didn't look at her but he didn't need to. She saw the tears swimming in his eyes. She felt his grip on her hand. She saw the heartbreak written all over his face.

"I would have understood," she said so quietly, in a whisper meant only for him and he bowed his head in shame, in grief and relief because it was over. "You did not have to carry this alone."

"Grief can produce beautiful creatures," he said in a hoarse whisper. "Anger and bitterness give nothing but nightmares."

She did not argue, because she didn't know what she would have done at seven, learning what she knew now. She didn't know if it would have spurred her even further and harder, or whether she would have cast her Alpha dreams aside and turned to disrepute. She didn't know, but her grandfather had saved her from the risk. It might not have been the right thing to do, but he did it with good intentions.

"Thank you," she said, resting her head on his shoulder.

"My child," he said as a tear fell down his papery cheek. "I have only ever thought of you."

–

"Am I to meet this man?" Her grandfather asked some hours later, when Ryan and Kyle had returned from Forks with bags and boxes of food piled high in the back of the car. Rachel and Penny were giggling and cooking, every window and door flung open as the air hung thick and warm around them in the morning sun.

Bella looked at her grandfather nervously.

"Did you intend to hide him away forever?" he pushed, regaining a small twinkle in his eye. Every wolf knew what he had said, and had made their peace with him the moment Bella had. He had asked for a moment alone, to collect himself and regain his composure. He was still very quiet in the wake of sharing his secret, but he was slowly regaining his usual self.

"No," Bella said cautiously. "I didn't think..."

He raised an eyebrow. "You didn't think I would want to meet the man who was meant to capture your heart?"

She blushed and looked away. Matters of the heart had yet to be discussed. Matters of sex, however, had been thoroughly examined. The humans sniggered and her pack looked on, wondering what she would do. The vampires had been silent thus far.

She didn't like it.

"I didn't think you'd want to speak to a vampire."

He smirked. "I am not afraid of them."

He wasn't. That was the problem with the Makah people – their wolves made them confident in the face of the demons, and while she was positive Edward would not lay a finger on her grandfather she would have preferred a healthy spike of fear from her remaining family member.

"_It's okay," _Edward said from the house.

"_For fucks sake," _Bella grumbled to herself. Thomas laughed at her plight and her glare only sent him over the edge in giggles that confused his mother. "Fine," she said, throwing in her metaphoric towel. She got up from the odd circle they had all made and journeyed back up the garden to where Edward stood waiting in the doorway.

"Are you okay?" he asked, taking her hand almost immediately.

He had never seen her so upset.

"Fine," she said uncomfortably. She knew how many eyes bore into her skull.

"Bella..." Edward said warningly.

"It doesn't change anything," she said with a roll of her eyes. "My own father abandoned me, but it doesn't change the fact that we're camping in a vampires back garden, looking to face a newborn army and hoping to go home one day."

Emotions aside, she was fine.

He was far from happy. She could see it in the pinch of his brow, but to his credit he nodded and, hand in hand, they made their way _slowly _to where the Makah's sat, human and wolf alike. They were all tanned and brown, with jet black hair.

"_He's going to ask you lots of uncomfortable questions," _she hissed nervously, hoping to prepare him for her grandfather before they got too close. _"Don't let him intimidate you."_

The idea was amusing.

Yet, five minutes later Edward was swallowing his pride as this ninety year old man, complete with walking stick and hearing aid laid into him. He had taken Edward aside, to the other side of the garden. It didn't shield his words or actions from any of the wolves or vampires, but he understood the human charade of privacy so nodded and walked slowly with him.

"You are Bella's imprint," the man said. Edward nodded, but got the feeling his input was not going to be necessary. "That means that her life is tied to yours. She goes where you go. She would die to protect, or save you. She would sacrifice her pack, her family and her beliefs to be with you."

"I would never ask, or expect her to," Edward swore to him.

The man merely grunted.

Emmett snorted from inside the house. _You've got the in-laws from hell._

"You move frequently with your... _family," _her grandfather went on, almost tripping over the word. "Would you be willing to leave them behind to stay with Bella?"

"Yes," he said immediately. He would.

"And provide for her?"

"Of course."

"I do not care what you are," he said suddenly, his walking stick hitting the ground with a heavy _thud. _"I care only that you treat my grand daughter with the respect and care that she deserves," he went on, staring at Edward with those unwavering grey eyes. Edward wasn't intimidated but he knew he had to garner this man's favour. "And what her own family have, thus far, failed to provide."

He knew Edward had heard.

"I have the same expectations of you that I would have to anyone else," he said as he continued to walk. "When do you intend on marrying?"

Bella could be heard choking on a sausage faintly, her face beet red as she cursed and swore while simultaneously hiding her face in her hands. Her pack, and Edward's family were enjoying their torture far too much.

Edward hesitated.

"You have already taken my grand daughter's _purity," _he said with an edge.

Bella could have died from mortification.

"It is the very least that a proposal is on the table."

Edward had the overwhelming urge to scream _"Will you marry me?!" _across the clearing just to appease this old man who seemed determined that Edward walk a very fine line of his own making.

"We have only known each other for little over two weeks-" Edward hedged.

"Do you not love her?"

_Shit._

"Of course I do," he said smoothly.

"Then time means nothing," he argued dismissively. "Especially in your current situation."

"Current situation?" Edward repeated.

"We may be human, but we are not stupid or deaf," the old man said with a wry grin Edward wasn't sure he was supposed to see. "A whole army of vampires is heading in this direction. Bella could die," he said factually. "Would you rather not secure your bond in marriage beforehand?"

"I never saw marriage as something to hurry," Edward said honestly.

He was not ready, or yet willing to marry Bella. One day, definitely but not now.

"And how do you see children?" the old man continued.

"_Kill me now, please."_

Bella doubted her face would ever stop burning. "Would someone please tell us what is happening?" Penny asked as she carried out a two plates and handed them to Thomas and his mother. The portion difference was rather comical.

"Children?" Edward repeated in his best calm voice.

"Are you a parrot or a vampire?" the old man scolded as he rounded on him. "Do you intend on giving me any grandchildren?"

Edward was absolutely speechless. "Erm... well... No," he said eventually. "We can't have children."

He regarded him closely for a moment before tutting. "Shame," he grumbled. "Still, probably for the best."

They went full circle and ended up back with everyone else, with Edward not knowing whether he should stay, go back to the house or throw himself off the closest cliff. His eyes went to Bella, who peeked at him with a mortified blush on her face and an apologetic smile lifting her lips. Her grandfather was busy trying to balance a plate of food on his lap while navigating a knife and fork to notice the vampire was still there.

There was a small gap between Bella and John, and the latter shuffled up with a wide grin and patted the ground. He took his seat, only too aware of the eyes of both wolf and human trained on him and suddenly _he _was the one at a loss. He wasn't used to it.

"I am _so _sorry," Bella all but groaned at him.

"It was an experience," he replied quietly, still not knowing how to take the elderly man who had noticed his presence in the circle and had pinned him with his gaze again. "Thanks for trying to warn me."

"Us Swan's are a force to be reckoned with," she said with a small smile. "But don't worry – I won't run off when you don't drop to one knee later on."

There was something about the way she laughed and rolled her eyes that dared him to call her out – to find his mothers ring in the drawer of the desk in the study and drop to one knee in front of everyone. It was childish, but nothing inside screamed in protest and he found the idea of spending a lifetime with the woman rather appealing.

"Nice dodge though," she muttered quietly before shoving half an egg into her mouth.

"I never saw the day I'd have to deal with in-laws," he admitted quietly.

"I suppose you always assumed your mate would be like you," she mused easily.

* * *

Thanks for the reviews guys! Cookies for all of you fantastic reviewers! I love all of you :)

As always let me know that you think!


	11. Chapter 11

"I'm really sorry about my Grandpa," Bella found herself saying an hour or so later. Her pack had split off, taking their family away to talk and just spend time together. They stayed within hearing range – as close as it was to the battle they were unwilling to stray too far. Her grandfather, not used to waking quite so early, was taking a nap in the camper and Bella was left alone for one of the first times since she arrived at the Cullen's house.

"He cares about you," he said with a shrug.

"It was absolutely mortifying," she admitted, her cheeks turning crimson at the memory.

"Imagine how I felt," he said with a choked laugh.

"Remind me to thank Carlisle and Esme for not giving me a talk," she said with a shake of her head. They sat close to the house – much closer than she'd been comfortable sitting before, but she figured her pack had allowed Edward into their ranks, even encouraged him to sit with them and their families. It was time for her to push past her instinct to stay away and have a little faith in Edward and his family.

"Was he being serious about getting married?" Edward asked, expecting her to laugh it off and was quite unsettled when she just struggled and picked at the grass underneath her feet.

"Typically, imprints get married within two to three weeks of finding one another," she said quietly, unsure of how her imprint would take this. "Obviously our situation is hardly _normal, _so the expectations aren't really applicable."

It was tradition.

Between a wolf and an imprint – unless the imprint wasn't a Makah, or they were already partnered with another person, an engagement was announced within a week, and a marriage within two to three weeks. It wasn't a matter of rushing, rather that there was no point in waiting. Imprinting was a sign from the Spirits of Old and New that you had found your soul mate, merely having it on paper was a formality that solidified the union.

But her imprint was a vampire, and a newborn army was knocking on their door at any minute; now was not the time to be planning a wedding. She wasn't even a hundred percent sure she'd want to marry Edward, though she was sure, given another few weeks without the impending attack she would feel different.

"And children?" Edward said in a much higher pitch than intended.

His look of absolute fear made her smile sadly. "No children."

He was surprised by her lack of argument, considering how adamant her grandfather had been on the contrary. She was busy looking down at the ground, crushing little rocks and pebbles between her fingers. "When I was ten I fell out of a tree. It was a twenty five foot drop," she said quietly. "I should have died, or at least been paralysed."

"But you're a wolf..."

She nodded. "Because my wolf genes had already been triggered, I was able to heal but it was very slow and painful," she said with a frown over his shoulder. "They took me to a doctor in Seattle on the sly – we couldn't pay for it, but they agreed to see me anyway. They told me I'd done some internal damage and that I wouldn't be able to carry a child."

She had no idea how his heart broke her for, for that little ten year old dragged away from her tiny little world and stood in front of a doctor. It wasn't something any child should have to deal with. He recalled the hurt in her grandfathers eyes, his insistence for his answer.

"Your grandfather..." Edward said weakly.

"Doesn't trust Pale Skin's, never mind doctors," she said with a sigh. "I used to think that was why I hadn't imprinted," she admitted in a whisper. "It's kind of our purpose – to create more wolves."

Turned out she was never destined to have any.

"I'm sorry Bella," he said, his fingers trailing the skin on her hand, hesitant to comfort a wound he couldn't see.

"It's okay," she said firmly. "I don't think I could bring a child into the world, knowing what I do," she said as a second thought. "As horrible as it is – it would be a crippling weakness that I can't afford."

In a twisted, sick way Edward was glad that, at the very least, she wasn't sacrificing this for him.

"We'll get married one day," he said with a small smile.

She looked up at him, from his fingers on her hand and smiled back at him. "I've got to say yes yet."

–

"The Volturi would have a field day with this," Tanya grumbled as she sat outside, watching the humans talk and laugh with their wolf relations. Bella was at her side, biting her tongue and instinct to spend time among Edward and his family.

"Amun mentioned them before he left," Bella recalled.

"They're our leaders. They govern all vampires," Tanya said flippantly.

"How can they govern _all _vampires?" Bella asked with a frown. "Where are they?"

"Italy, but they have people everywhere," Tanya told her. "I'm actually surprised they've let this newborn army grow to the size it is."

Bella was trying to keep up with the concept of an omniscient leader. It didn't sit well with her at all and, to be quite honest, gave her the creeps to think about. The vampires began their discussions, making no secret of anything even with Bella almost inside their home.

"It's no surprise," Jasper countered. "It's been expected for some time. I assume they consider it a happy coincidence that another coven want us dead."

"What-" Bella began. "These _Volturi _want you dead?" she said worriedly, her hand gripping Edward's hand as it lay at her side. Why had he not mentioned this earlier?

"Not in the way Victoria does," Carlisle explained patiently. "We are the biggest coven, besides the Volturi and we have three gifted vampires among us," he said.

"You're a threat," she surmised.

"Yes. He has countless talented vampires in his Guard – he covets them," he went on heavily. "Which is why Amun was so angry with us. If Aro were to see Benjamin and his ability – I fear he would go to any lengths to have it."

"He can't just _take _people," Bella argued.

"He has a vampire in his Guard called Chelsea," Eleazar said sharply. "She is able to manipulate a persons bond with the people around them. She would sever your ties with your pack and align you with them and you wouldn't even notice."

She had known that these talented vampires had existed of course, having run into quite a few of them but the idea of them all being collected in one place, and on such a twisted mission was frightening.

"We have one rule, Bella," Tanya said heavily. "And that is that humans are not to know of our existence. Any form of exposure would have us all killed."

Her eyes returned to the family of her pack, her mind to her entire tribe. "We have lived this way for hundreds of years," she argued. "We respect your power and ability – we don't go screaming it from the rooftops."

"That wouldn't matter to Aro," Eleazar said with a shake of his head. "He would have your pack slaughtered and your people killed."

His words were blunt and she stared at him, fearing an enemy she had never seen or heard of before a few moments earlier. "We would kill them," she said without hesitation.

"Hardly," Garret said with a scoff. "You might be able to pin a few newborns, but the Volturi are beyond your claws."

She felt Edward stiffen beside her, but it was Eleazar who spoke. "Actually, I do believe that Bella is correct."

Eyes turned to him. "You have a shield protecting your mind," he reminded her. "That shield is projected around your pack, and your people, protecting them as well."

Again, things went over her head.

"If Edward cannot hear her, I doubt Aro's ability would work either," Tanya said, looking at the small, pale unassuming woman beside her with renewed interest. "Or Jane's or Alec's."

"She could be the key to defeating them."

"Woah," Bella said with a nervous laugh. "I protect my own tribe – I do not go seeking a war with the leader of all vampires."

"You think they'll show up?" Edward asked Carlisle.

His father sighed and cast his worried eyes to Bella. "I sincerely hope not, but Victoria hasn't exactly been quiet in Seattle."

This, also had to be explained. "Sam didn't really tell us anything; only that some vampires were pissed off and coming for revenge."

"They were just passing through. We actually met them first, and we politely asked them not to hunt in our territory and they agreed and moved on. The following day Sam is at our door, ranting about how we sent three vampires onto his land," Emmett scowled as he sat on the sofa beside his wife. "Which was obviously ridiculous. They killed one of them though – and his mate, Victoria had been building up her army for weeks now. There are people going missing daily – they're suspecting a mass murderer is on the loose."

"Did any Quileute's die?"

"Not as far as we know."

Bella nodded, pleased that at least the Quileute wolves protected their own people.

"Forget the Volturi," Eleazar said with a small grin. "We need to concentrate on these newborns."

They had given her plenty to think about, that was for sure.

"She must know we're here," Carlisle sighed.

Victoria and her coven were savage and cruel, but embraced every inch of their vampiric nature. It wasn't clear how she'd known about their return to Forks, or how she'd predicted the Quileute's would call on them for help after growing wary of the deaths mounting up in nearby Seattle. She had surrounded herself with newborns hell bent on destroying the Quileute's, or so they had thought.

But Edward had heard their thoughts to specifically take out the vampires. They had come straight for the house, knowing where they were and who to look for.

How had she known?

"Maybe an ability..." Eleazar mused to his old friend. "One thing I have learned, is that nothing I impossible."

"Perhaps," Carlisle agreed. "But she didn't send newborns to Neah Bay or La Push. She's targeting us."

"I suppose she's more confident in vampire on vampire fighting," Tanya said idly. "Those wolves do look quite menacing."

Bella smirked.

"Trying to kill off the allies... and leave the Quileute's without any help."

–

"You don't have to-" Bella began half heartedly.

"Consider it our gift to you," Esme said sweetly, with a smile and such compassion that Bella felt rude for even arguing. They were all leaving – their eyes were going dark and with humans so close, no-one was willing to risk a slip. She and Edward were to have the house to themselves. Her pack was still close, but it was mildly frightening to be alone with this man who held her future in his tentative grasp.

He had nodded his thanks, still holding her hand in hers. He hadn't argued, and as they all left Bella had the overwhelming urge to shout after them _'And stick together!'. _Thankfully she managed to contain herself and she and Edward were left in the living room, hand in hand wondering what to do next.

The doors were left open. The smell was truly revolting but much easier to bear than when she'd first arrived. The room was huge; easily ten times the size of her tiny living room at her Grandpa's house. Everything was perfect, from the white leather sofas, to the white rug in the centre of the room and ornate vases and paintings on the walls. It screamed class and sophistication.

"It's like a museum," Bella said as she let go of Edward's hand and perused the room. She was much more relaxed without the prying eyes of his family nearby, and he didn't take offence to her comment. He was likely to agree.

"We like the finer things in life," he said with a shrug.

She saw a piano sat in the front of the room, beneath the bay window. "Do you play?"

"Yes," Edward said with a proud smirk. "And I'm rather good, if I do say so myself."

His smile was broad as he passed her and took a seat. His fingers fell on the keys and she watched them dance and fly as the most beautiful melody filled the room. It was slow and deep, melancholy and loneliness, so she sat down next to him on the little bench and watched, wishing she could play like him. He watched her gaze down at his prized possession, a light in her eyes as she grinned and his fingers stilled. Her smile fell. "Don't stop."

He wanted to fuck her on his piano, but he managed to restrain himself.

Barely.

"I'll teach you one day," he said as he began another tune.

"They're all so sad," she bemoaned as their arms brushed one another happily.

"I have spent a century alone, Isabella," he said lightly.

"You had your family," she said quietly.

"And they had their mates."

His hands stilled again and he was looking at her with such passion and intensity that it did all sorts of things to her. She felt her face flush and she looked away with a smile. "We should probably move on."

He showed her the dining room and kitchen. "Rachel would kill you if she knew this was a few feet away and you _didn't _use it," she told him as she spun around the centre of it.

"We made you toast," Edward argued feebly.

She laughed and shook her head, because they had so much money, _too _much really but she didn't hate them for it. Their lives seemed so empty – and they filled the void with material that cost far too much. He watched her look at his world. He wondered whether their wealth disgusted her. She liked the earth and forest, the rain on her face and freedom at her feet. They longed for roots to bind them, to hold them in place and give them purpose.

She was his purpose.

"You're very quiet," she said. He hadn't realised she'd been watching him, but there was a small grin on her face and she walked towards him knowingly. Her hair was curly and frizzy but he liked it, and the ass of her jeans were stained with mud and tried dew but she didn't care and he didn't care because he knew her ass looked good in anything.

"Something you want to share?" she teased quietly, standing an inch from him. He could feel the warmth of her body seeping into him. Her eyes stared up at him, revealing her tiny stature. How such a small woman could wield such power over him, he would never know but he knew he would die for her.

"Everything," he said in a sudden moment of sober sincerity.

"We only have an hour or so at most..." she trailed off, her eyes travelling from his eyes, down to his lips and then to his chest. "I suppose we can save some for later."

He growled – low and menacing and it did impressive things to her stomach. He watched a soft rose fill her cheeks. He'd never imagined someone so breakable could capture his heart – that a heartbeat could set his heart alight and a smell of her blood could entrance him the way it did. She had him – totally, completely and there was no escaping it.

They were on fire.

Hands groped, fast and unrelenting and she felt his ice flesh against her, feeding the flames that licked at her insides as she felt his kisses on her neck and tilted her head to give him better access. It was too much; she was too much. The ground fell away and she shrieked a little before her legs wrapped around his waist and hands clasped his head. He was there, smothering her mouth with paralysing kisses pulling her back into the flames with him.

He felt her tongue creep. His groan was involuntary, completely lost.

He moved, suddenly and swiftly out of the kitchen and up the stairs, down a hallway before pushing open a door. It was a bedroom. Bella didn't care. She was far too busy being engulfed by Edward, the feel of his skin against her stomach, the feel of his hair between her fingers, of his smooth lip beneath the sweep of her tongue.

The world tilted and something soft met her back and Edward was leaning over her, looming and possessive. He pulled away, staring down at her right eyes and red lips and heaving chest and wondering when she had bewitched him so entirely.

"You're going to have to stop doing that," he growled, rubbing his lip because _damn _it was sexy but too dangerous. She merely smirked, her hands sliding from his neck to his shirt. There was no tearing. She pulled it, tugging it over his head and tossing it aside. He buried his nose in the crook of her neck, pressing open mouthed kisses to her shoulder, leading to her neck and ear.

His hands trailed ice along her stomach, and he felt her muscles quiver beneath his fingertips as he pushed her shirt up over her navel, over the swell of her breasts. She arched her back, pushing out her breasts and allowing him to pull the shirt out from beneath her. She was admittedly impressed with his speed with a bra.

The heat between them simmered as he climbed off the bed and tugged his trousers off. How he did so with grace, she'd never know. She shimmied out of her jeans, tossing them haphazardly to the floor. He stared at her, naked besides thin black panties and a blush on her cheeks and breasts. She was perfection.

She was a Goddess.

She felt the mattress dip and closed her eyes. He was the gasoline to her pyre and my _God _did she enjoy the burn. He was everything. She felt his tongue, ice and wet slide from her hip bone, up her navel to her breasts where he took a nipple in his mouth so carefully. She felt her back arch, felt a moan slip unbidden from between her lips as she gasped.

He brought her to life.

Hands fisted sheets, destroying, searching for friction. She felt as though she would explode, but he was there, the ice to her fire keeping her down, keeping her contained and within reach. But suddenly he was gone and she felt ice slide down the sides of her breasts, down her ribs to her stomach, and then to her hips where they lingered at the waistband of her underwear. It took nothing and it was gone.

They did like ripping things.

And he was back, pressing her down, cooling her off before she could implode and pinning her to the earth. Arms stabilised him on either side of her head. He could see her eyes closed, a smirk flirting in the corners of her lips. He recaptured her mouth harshly but she gave him it all back – every push of his lips, every flex of his hips she matched him.

Suddenly he was right _there _and with a shift of her hips he groaned, his forehead falling to hers and resting for there a moment as they just breathed and savoured the feeling. When he opened his eyes she was right was there looking back at him, with no guards, no pretences, nothing between them but air and they felt it. After talk of marriage and babies and meeting families, there was a weight on them, a pressure that had been absent before.

There was a future staring them in the face, and the groundwork was already being laid. All they had to do was walk the path.

It was softer; slower.

His hands captured hers, lifting them above her head, pinning them to the bed as their fingers laced together. There was nothing but the pound of blood and heavy breathes; nothing mattered beyond _this. _

–

"I'm never going to hear the end of this," Edward said with a small laugh, an hour later when they lay naked and lingering on the fringes of orgasm. The duvet lay on the floor, forgotten and unneeded as she heated his body. Her arm hung lazily over his stomach, as she rested her head on his chest and he lay on his back staring at the ceiling.

He never knew he could feel so much.

Bella laughed in his arms. It was quiet. Lazy.

"So..." she said with a lopsided smirk. "I heard you love me?"

He thanked Carlisle for removing his ability to blush. "Well... it's kind of assumed, you know?"

"One there is thing I have learned as an Alpha, Edward, is to never assume anything," she said quietly, not offended by his lack of tact or emotion.

"I do love you," he said with difficulty. "I have from the moment I saw you in the clearing," he admitted to the ceiling. "But it has been given to me."

"There is nothing behind the emotion," she nodded her head, her hair fanning out across his chest as she shifted.

"There's _something," _he hedged timidly.

His hands slid from her waist as she sat up, a twinkle in her eye and a wide grin on her face as she looked down at him. "Do you have a _crush _on me?"

He took her teasing with a grin of his own. He was fast – faster, even, than her not that she tried to stop his hands as they shot out and pushed her backwards. She landed with a thump, giggling with her hair in her face as he sat over her. She looked so young. "Keep going like that and I'll have a ring on that finger before the weeks' out."

She blinked innocently at him, but her smile could not be tames. "Promise?"

"Shit," he cursed with a laugh as he shook his head and sat back a little.

"Hey," she cried as she sat up. He tried to ignore the way her breasts moved and bounced. "I was kidding."

But she could see that his laughter was nervous, and that his eyes were concealing thoughts that weren't the happiest. "I know..." he mumbled, naked as the day he was born and not giving a damn as he rubbed his eyes and stared back at her sitting cross legged in front of him. "It's just that... marriage means something different to me."

"Tell me," she prompted eagerly, her hand capturing his as it reached for his hair for the third time. "You know so much about my life. I know so little about yours."

He smiled. "I was changed at seventeen. At the time, I had been planning on running off to war, to prove myself and protect my family. I was courting a girl called Samantha at the time. My mother gave me her Grandmothers ring to propose with," he said somewhat hesitantly, expecting some display of jealousy or annoyance but Bella's face remained clear. "I want to feel that love, that overwhelming knowledge that this person is _right _before I drop to one knee and bind myself to them forever."

She said nothing, but her smile was soft as she peered at him wondrously.

"I mean, obviously we're right for each other because you're my mate," he said, rambling just a little in the panic of her silence. "But-"

She squeezed his hand. "Edward," she said quietly, silencing his words instantly. "It's okay. We're very different people. Forget the expectations," she said with a small laugh. "It's up to us. We can't control much of anything, but it is in our power to dictate when, or if we get married."

"Oh Bella," he said with a chuckle. "I have no doubt you will one day be my wife."

The idea made her stomach tense uneasily.

"That makes you unhappy?" Edward sensed, seeing the sudden frown.

"I..." she shook her head, her frown disappearing quickly. "I just never saw myself with a husband, or children... I figured, since I can't carry a child, I would always be alone," she sighed quietly before snorting. "I don't even know _how _to be a wife!" she exclaimed. "I'm really bad at cooking and my cleaning is appalling!"

"You don't have to cook and clean," Edward protested, remembering how traditional her tribe took gender roles. It worked for them, and he didn't judge them for a second, but he found it hard to imagine Bella in an apron making breakfast and dusting the lampshades. She was too energised, too big for such a small world.

"I suppose," she figured with a wry grin. "Since you don't eat, and hardly make any mess."

She laughed, but he was watching her with an odd expression that made her feel a little opaque and uncomfortable. She was very aware that she was naked.

"Why is everything so easy with you?" he wondered quietly.

"I'm a push over," she sighed.

It was true, after all.

"You are far from a push over," Edward snorted with a shake of his head. "I have never met someone with such a wide stubborn streak."

She shrugged, because they were cuddling and somehow had started another serious conversation about her domestic duties. So she clambered back over to him, laying between his legs with her head on his shoulder with her eyes closed, just breathing him in. She felt his fingers trace swirls and spirals down her spine, over the curve of her bottom and hips. She could have easily fallen asleep with him.

Instead, they showered. She'd slapped his hands away with a laugh, because his family had given them privacy and she wanted to make the most of it. They could have sex anywhere, though admittedly shower sex sounded enticing, and sex on a bed was far more comfortable than on a forest floor. He washed her hair and apologised when suds got in her eyes, and she laughed and turned the shower head into his face.

Half an hour later and they were down the hall, damp but content. "You have _so _much music," Bella breathed as Edward sat back on his sofa and let he poke around his room. Everywhere she looked sprouted more questions – from the black and white photo on his dresser, to the dinosaur onesie tucked high in the walk in wardrobe.

"I like music," he'd defended.

"The last song I heard was some bloody ballad by Celine Dion," Bella muttered as her fingers flicked across the covers of thousands of little CD cases. "Grandpa was _obsessed _with it – it's all he ever played. I took back to back patrols for a week just to avoid it," she admitted with a sheepish grin.

"My heart will go on," Edward told her.

"Ugh," she spat in disgust. "I _hate _that song."

She found his iPod – obviously a newer model of her ancient, scratched and dented thing back at home. His was shiny and blue and had a big screen. She was so very careful when she picked it up, not to damage the screen. "You can have it."

He saw her eyes land on the little device. It had been a gift from Jasper the year previous – a joke form the endless complaints from the family about moving his vast music collection from house to house. He hadn't parted with any music thus far, but the meaning was still there. He knew she didn't have much money. He knew that not a single Makah had touched the huge flatscreen TV's in the bedrooms, or the one in the living room in the motor home. They were a step removed from technology.

"I can't-" Bella protested immediately, shaking her head as a blush crept up her cheeks.

He was on his feet and next to her, plucking the thin little thing from the surface of his mahogany desk and holding it out to her. "I want you to have it."

"No," she said, her voice suddenly hardening, becoming stubborn and a little angry. Surprised, Edward took the iPod back and waited a moment. "I..." she said as her face crumbled. "I want us to be equals. In my community, and in yours women are... less. I don't want that. I want to be treated just like anyone else," she explained in a soft lilting voice. "I can't give you anything in return."

Edward thought about her argument, wanting to cast it aside. She was his woman. It was his prerogative to shower her with diamonds and gifts and clothes and make her happy and comfortable – but he didn't need his mind reading to see she was far from happy or comfortable about his offer.

Her damn pride would be the end of him.

"You could owe me," he offered.

She seemed to consider it. "I don't like being indebted to someone," she all but grumbled as she crossed her arms over her chest. She glared at his smirk. "What?"

"You are adorable."

She punched him in the gut. He had smiled but _God _that hurt. She was stronger than he'd expected and he silently nursed his masculinity and rubbed at his stomach. "I am _not _adorable."

She wasn't adorable.

But despite the punch, he smiled because he'd finally found something to ruffle those neat little feathers of hers. "We're stuck together," Edward said with a winning smile. He had hoped to charm his way through the argument but she seemed to still be annoyed from his early comment. "So what does it matter?"

"It's a matter of principle," she sniffed before turning her back and walking away from him, effectively ending the conversation as she started on to other things. He let it lie for now.

"So stubborn," he said slyly as he slipped his arms around her and pressed a kiss to the back of her head. He could practically hear her scowl. "But I love you."

"You're an ass," she grouched but she laughed and relaxed back against him. "They're on their way back," she said with a sigh.

"I don't want you to go," he admitted, there with her back to him with his eyes closed. He could talk and laugh and just _be _with her. He didn't have to stare down a wolf pack, have every word dissected or have to face her grandfather.

"This is what it's going to be like," she said as she turned in his arms, looking up at him with a small grin on her face. "After all this is over."

She wanted to be with him.

They kissed, quick but passionate and he walked her out of the house before she got accosted by his family. He hated watching her walk away to the bottom of the garden, where she sat and waited for her pack to return as her grandpa slept on. He hated that she couldn't stay with him, at his side like he wanted, where she belonged. It made him angry and annoyed, because Esme was with Carlisle and Emmett stood with Rose but Bella was banished, not only from her home but from his too.

She could see him watching her. It had been nice; not perfect, but sweet even when he'd teased and riled her. But over the expanse of the garden the reality had struck once again, that they were _too _different to the outside world. His family either couldn't or wouldn't accept her, even though her pack had welcomed Edward with open arms and hearts. She knew she would never truly have a place within his home, within the names of his family because to them, she was a _mutt, _a _dog, _a _mongrel._

Bitterness was difficult to swallow.

"Did it not go well?" Jasper asked only moments after entering the house. He could feel both Edward's and Bella's moods and neither were particularly pleasant. He looked at his brother, sat on the sofa with the door closed, his head in his hands, the epitome of surrender.

"Everything is so fucked," he whispered.

"It will get better," he said, laying a comforting hand on his brothers shoulder. They had all expected him to find his mate eventually, but not with such baggage or constrictions. He couldn't imagine everyone around him dictating his relationship with Alice. The family gave them space to talk. Bella's scent was everywhere, and Rosalie barely contained her disgust as she threw open the windows.

_Give them time, _Carlisle urged his son with a patient stare. _They will accept her._

"It isn't fair," he said quietly. His sister turned to stare at him.

He had found her, yet he could not have her – not in the way he'd like. He knew she had responsibilities, he knew she had pressure and pain and everything that came with being a leader but damn it, when she was with him she was just Bella, just a girl with a smirk and a burning pride that would unhinge him one day.

"Stop it," came her voice from the bottom of the garden. With the doors closed they could not see her, but she could hear every breath of their words. She didn't know what thoughts he was responding to, and didn't care to imagine what his family were thinking of. She'd had a good time with him in that house – despite the stench that soaked everything, despite the punch because it was just him – just a boy and a girl hanging out and having fun.

She'd never had that before.

People looked at her and saw an Alpha, a leader, someone to trust and share their troubles with. She ventured that no-one saw a thirty five year old woman anymore, no-one but Edward and her pack.

Edward's words were silenced by her plea and her pack returned member by member, laughing and talking and greeting Bella with small smiles and nods because they'd gathered what had happened and were trying not to screw their nose up at the smell of vampire all over her.

–

She was annoyed.

From Edward, to his damn family to her own – everything seemed to be grating on her nerves, so the moment Thomas _dared _mention baseball in front of the humans she very nearly tore his foot off because he knew exactly what he was doing.

She could reason and control her pack to a degree, but her hold over the humans balanced precariously on a pedestal of respect and trust. Half an hour later, and she was grumbling and glowering as she made her way through the forest, following the stench of vampire as they lead them to the clearing. Emmett had been thrilled, and her pack were more than enthusiastic to be doing something, anything more than patrols and eating. They were made for more.

Edward had watched her but she had avoided his gaze. Her mood was sour and she wasn't really sure why. She'd been so happy, felt so free in his arms in the house but outside had brought fresh air and old thoughts.

The pack moved slow, protecting the human companions that were determined to come and watch. John's wife had begged to stay behind so their daughter could rest but Bella had put her foot down quite firmly. "If we are going to do this, then we _all _have to go. I am not splitting the pack and leaving anyone here with a newborn army on its way."

No-one had dared argue.

It was a short two miles to the clearing, but by the time the pack arrived the Cullen's had already chalked out the diamond and batting post. Sixteen vampires looked rather excited, and she felt a little sick in her stomach. Now was not the time to be playing games. She wanted to shake them all.

_Go ahead, _she said to them as they dithered, not wanting to upset their Alpha but too damn eager to pit themselves against the vampires. They hesitated but phased and went to meet with Emmett who stood waiting for them in the centre of the bases. She remained a wolf, standing on the edge of the clearing. She did not want to be there.

She stayed with the humans. Esme had brought blankets and a picnic basket and had handed it to Thomas' mother with a small, but sincere smile. After a short thank you, the humans laid out the blankets and sat themselves down.

"Do you want to talk about it?" his mother said, staring up at the wolf as she sat beside her. The wolf shook her head and laid down, resting her head on her paws and wallowing. She felt her grandfathers eyes on her but ignored them. She was in a truly foul mood.

After a coin toss, the wolves called to field first and spread themselves out. Half of the vampires had chosen to sit out, and since only eight wolves remained only eight vampires stepped up. She noted that Edward had sat out, staying with the vampires across the clearing, standing on the edge of the forest. Her pack spread out, covering bases and the field, vowing to remain in their human form to keep it even and equal.

Bella was completely lost in her own musings and negativity that it wasn't until that tiny little palm fell to her flank that she realised that she was not alone. She turned her head and found little Charlotte staring up at her – all smiles and beauty with her black curls and dark eyes, red cheeks and innocence. Her mother sat back with a fond smile, watching her daughter.

The vampires were tense across the clearing, watching the baby tug on Bella's fur and clamber onto her back – treating her like a play thing. The wolf didn't so much as flinch as the child pulled her fur, or slapped her leg. There was no panic from its mother, or the other humans who merely tisked and laughed at the play.

Edward didn't know whether to cry or smile. He knew he could never give Bella a child, and she could not carry one but he knew she would be a fantastic mother. She would be strict but loving and beautiful and patient, because she already mothered her pack.

There was a squabble between Garret and Jasper about pitching, so the wolves were left to their own devices for a few minutes. Carlisle, Emmett, Alice, Tanya, Kate and Irina were lined up, bats in hand waiting idly for the pair to stop arguing and get on with it. Thomas found it all mildly amusing, but his eyes went to Bella. He knew she was going through a lot. He knew it was only a matter of time before she imploded or exploded – neither would be pretty to witness. She was reaching the limit of what she was willing to take and he knew it.

But when she looked over to him, he beckoned her over, inviting her to play because she needed some down time. She spent far too much time _thinking _and analysing and planning, and not enough actually doing. It wasn't like her to be snappy or so down. It worried them all.

She phased, eyes on Charlotte as she scooped her up. The little girl squealed, all giggles and happiness as Bella blew a raspberry on her stomach. She knew the silence that surrounded her was meant for her, that eyes were watching because a child was sacred; so fragile and helpless but they defend them readily. And when she looked over to Thomas, saw his kind eyes and beckoning hand she sighed.

She deposited the child back with her mother and got to her feet. The child cried and squealed, but Bella pressed a kiss to the top of her head and took off over to Thomas. His grinned widely as she approached. "Don't say a word," she warned, a feigned threat in her pointed finger.

She saw Edward get to his feet to even the numbers.

"We need to push further back," she said quietly. They'd left a good few hundred feet between the bases and where they were fielding, but she knew the arm of a vampire was much stronger than that, and these ones weren't going to go easy on them. Silently, the wolves pushed back.

It was fun.

It was tense, but _exciting _in a way none of them had felt in weeks. They needed the down time.

In the end it had been a good call in Thomas' part, though she admitted it to no-one. The families sat on the sidelines, vampires to the right and humans to the left, cheering and laughing and just having fun. Rules were broken, threats were made and scuffles broke out among the pack, but it was all in good humour.

The vampires were impressive – sending the balls miles into the forest in all directions. It pushed the pack hard and fast. It was definitely something to behold, watching them be a silent, cohesive unit even without the mental link to one another. They were so in sync and knew one another to well that they anticipated each others movements.

Bella fought dirty, just because she could. Her smirk and stare had Edward missing a pitch, much to his humiliation and hilarity of his family. They howled raucously and Rachel high fived Bella proudly. He had growled and glared, and when he had finally hit the ball it had soared high and far – sending Thomas and Lauren to sprint to fetch it.

He was fast – and hearts raced and voices called out, because no self respecting wolf wanted to lose to a vampire. It was entrancing and too easy to forget who and what they were. Jasper hurled a taunt to Ted, who shouted one straight back. Alice went into a stare down with Rachel when she was about to pitch. It was just _easy._

The wolves took the bats. Bella made sure not to be first. She found herself smiling, spinning her bat idly as her thoughts span far from the clearing. She needed her pack. She needed Thomas for moments like this. He knew her better than she cared to admit – but she loved him for it. So she gave him a whack with her bat and he spun around, scowling and rubbing his shoulder but she smiled and the gratitude was obvious.

"You're welcome," he said before pulling her into a bone crushing hug and ruffling her hair. He couldn't be serious for too long. "Now concentrate – don't start going all fucking girly on me," he said as he held her at arms length. She watched with an amused smile. "We need to kick vampires butt."

They needed to get six home-runs to beat the vampires.

* * *

Sorry for the longer than usual wait guys... work is an absolute drag.

I finally pushed past the 100 review mark! You think we can get past 200?


	12. Chapter 12

The humans lingered and helped prepare for the festival. Instead of a party and banners, the vampires were rather disappointed to see a pack of sombre wolves heading out to collect wood. "We build a fire with our family, and thank the spirits for what they have given us this past year," Bella explained patiently as her grandfather slept another day away. She worried for his health. She would be making the fire, and prayers herself this year, for the first time.

Edward had done some tentative research on the Makah and their beliefs but found it all to be rather generalised and vague. He didn't know just how devout Bella was to her spirits and Gods, and didn't want to tread on any toes by asking anything untoward.

She had almost asked Edward to accompany her, on the walk back from the baseball field. Spirits had been high even though the vampires had won. Emmett and Alice had boasted mercilessly, but Thomas demanded another rematch. They had walked hand in hand, watching the slow melding of their families with fond, hopeful smiles. The thought had struck her then, when she'd looked over at him. _He _was her family now too.

She didn't want to do it alone.

Something held her jaw closed, held her tongue. It wasn't that she didn't trust Edward, or think he would refuse her. She was nearly thirty five years old – and this felt like a coming of age thing, like she needed to sit alone by that fire, to be independent and solitary to face _her._

Her pack had already gone – splitting off into their families to build their fires. She'd asked them to stay East – far enough for privacy but close enough to call to the others should danger strike. She had looked to her grandfather, who had smiled sadly and apologised before admitting he felt a little under the weather. She had helped him into the camper, stayed and waited in the living room until he'd fallen asleep and then headed up to the house.

"You'll keep an eye on them?" She'd wanted to make sure, but Edward had merely smiled and nodded, pulling the small woman into his arms because she worried for her pack, even when she was supposed to be worrying about herself.

"Of course," he assured her with a soft kiss to the top of her head. "They know to expect our presence..." he asked.

"Yes, I warned them," she said with a stiff nod. She seemed very tense. "We're not supposed to transform at all on this day," she explained with a long exhale. "To give the spirits a rest," she went on. "We only phase if we have no choice."

They had kissed, and Edward had watched Bella disappear into the woods for Lord knows how long. He'd promised to keep away, to leave her and her pack to their prayers and whatnot but it was going to be difficult. He didn't like the thought of her alone. His family had extended company had agreed to circulate around the wolves, leaving them be but keeping a constant presence of protection.

It was a very trying day for Edward.

For Bella, whose hands quaked with nerves and anxiety, it wasn't so smooth either. She had never said such prayers alone. She believed in the spirits and their power; how else could the wolves and the demon vampires be explained? She felt their presence. She always had. She felt their eyes on her, listening to her mind and watching over her people.

Facing them alone was a daunting task. She'd always had her grandfather there, holding her hand and whispering her back to the world.

Still, she went on foot and put Edward and the vampires behind her. She allowed the morning birds to sing their melodies and take her away. She allowed her feet to carry her where they wished and allowed her mind to wander. The sky was grey but she sensed so storm brewing.

It took no more than five minutes to collect and build her fire. Her lifestyle on the reservation had her learn all about fires and mushrooms and seasons and crops. Her community lived from the land, so she found two rocks and remembered how her Grandpa had taught her, so many summers ago on the beach with her scaly hands smothering hers, moulding her fingers and pulling her limbs to teach her. She'd sat between his legs, her tongue poking out for half an hour before she'd got so much as a spark, but she was determined and after an hour or so, she'd built her own fire.

It started off small, with innocent white smoke that blew north with the wind. She sat with her legs crossed, just breathing in the smell of the smoke and looking into the embers as the grew and flamed licked from between the branches and twigs she'd gathered.

_Please forgive me._

The wind blew suddenly south, and she coughed as she inhaled a lungful of smoke. She glanced around her but she was alone and the wind resumed blowing north. She scowled.

_Thank you for my Grandpa._

_Thank you for my Pack, and it's strength._

_Thank you for watching over my people and keeping them safe. Thank you for the crops that feed us and the fish that allow us to build and grow._

_Thank you for delivering Charlotte to us safely, after so much worry._

_Thank you for my strength. Without you I would crumble. _

_Thank you for Edward. Thank you for the opportunity for love I now have._

The flames flew high, dancing a few inches above the sticks beneath and she blinked at the heat on her face.

_You have tested me. You have pushed me past what I thought I could ever take... _her eyes hardened and she struggled to keep them open with the heat and smoke that curled around her. _I don't know my future, but you have guided me safe so far. I trust you._

–

Some muttered, some swayed back and forth and some held hands and bowed their heads. Each person had their own way of speaking to the spirits, and the vampires watched with varied interest, always on the move, not wanting to interrupt what was blatantly a very important event for them.

It wasn't only the wolves who prayed, but the humans as well. Even little Charlotte was unusually quiet as her mother sat her between her legs and held her husbands hand while she whispered her words of thanks and comfort. They cried and smiled and felt nothing but love for those who had kept them safe.

It was hours before any returned. John returned first, with his wife and daughter. He threw several charred twigs onto the ground mid-way between the Cullen's house and the river before returning to the other side of it and pulling his little family close. Without their thoughts to spy on, Edward was left with Jasper. His brother had tried to determine their emotions but it was a culmination of so many that it was impossible to name it.

Thomas returned with red, blood shot eyes and a sniffling mother. He threw his own sticks on top of John's. One by one they returned, smelling like smoke and with clouded, obscure emotions. He envied them and their beliefs. He wished his mind was open enough to believe such things but he was solidified in fact and truth – and neither God or Spirit was fact.

They sat and waited, quiet and thoughtful and holding their loved ones close.

Bella returned shortly before Rachel. The pile of sticks was very large now – spanning a few feet and a few inches high. It was a pack tradition – something that the humans hadn't ever seen before since they usually waited until everyone was too drunk or exhausted to notice them slink away down the beach. They were curious.

Edward had never seen them all so contemplative or quiet. They were peaceful, even as Bella roused her grandfather and softly told him that they were lighting the fire soon. He hadn't grumbled or moaned, but said a quiet _thank you _and Bella had taken herself back outside to give him privacy and time to wash and dress.

She stood in the doorway, looking over at her pack. She hated that she'd ripped them from their families, from their brothers but they looked so happy. Thomas allowed his mother to swipe a stray hair from his cheek and Bella smiled as he didn't bat her hand away or roll his eyes. She looked over to the Cullen house. The doors were closed and empty. They were giving them space.

"Thank you."

She received no reply, but it didn't matter.

Night began to fall and hunger was prevalent. It was tradition to abstain from food for the day, until the moon was visible in the sky and _she _had returned and was watching over them. Stomachs were growling and aching, but they had grown used to the fast and kept quiet.

Esme had given them permission to use the lawn the day previous. Considering the wolves fighting and _training _had already shredded her perfectly manicured grass, and there was a fifty tonne motor home parked across it, it wasn't really worth saving anymore.

They heard vampires approaching, and glanced over as Benjamin and Tia walked across the lawn from their patrol. Their eyes were somewhere between red and gold, having promised to also stay away from humans while in Forks. Tia was quiet and tugged on her mates hand, but he was strong and his smile was small and hopeful as he stopped and stared at Bella.

"Could we watch?"

Bella considered his request shortly. There really was nothing to it at all, but the humans were watching this year and she felt nothing but amused at this teenage vampire and his unending enthusiasm. "Yes."

His smile grew wide and Tia rolled her eyes but smiled and inclined her head at Bella a little in thanks. Her eyes went to the sky. The clouds were darkening and it would be less than an hour before the moon was coming into their sights. She stepped from the doorway onto the grass and headed over to the pile of twigs.

"Won't you need more?" Tia asked quietly, a mere whisper on the wind.

"We use only the branches from our own prayers," Bella said evenly as she crouched down and began arranging them into an orderly shape. "Some believe it carries our prayers louder and faster," she went on absently.

"Do you believe?" Ben asked, moving towards her undeterred about her being a wolf. He did not see a threat in this girl.

Her hands stilled at his question and she looked up from the branches to his face with a pensive expression. "I believe that there is more in the world than we can ever know, or understand," she said thoughtfully. "I don't think any of us would be alive now if someone hadn't been looking out for us."

He accepted this easily, with a small nod and smile. "I used to believe in God."

"What stopped you?"

"No God would create such evil in the world," Benjamin said soberly.

They stared at one another but they didn't fight their points of argue. They accepted with smiles because she could respect his life and hardships. She knew no-one chose to be a vampire, as much as no-one chose to be a wolf. It just happened, and you had to deal with it.

The air chilled as her grandpa made his way out of the motor home, aided by a quick footed Rachel hooking his arm. His walking stick thudded against the floor and he headed towards Bella. The wolves joined him, with their families following silently behind. It was all very serious, and Tia and Benjamin were all too eager to be part of the experience. They were far from immune to whatever was happening to the Makah people.

Silently, they surrounded the wood in a circle, sitting beside their family. Thomas fetched the stump for Bella's grandpa and he thanked him with sincere eyes as he lowered himself onto it. Benjamin and Tia were nervous as they were flanked by wolves but didn't voice their discomfort. More vampires emerged from their patrols, including Edward, Jasper and Esme who watched the seated group with interest.

Benjamin and Tia's inclusion in the circle spoke volumes.

"May we?" Edward asked.

Bella nodded silently. The door were thrown open. No question was asked, but Bella nodded to the eyes that hid inside the house. Her spirits were accepting of those with open hearts and ears, who would listen to her whispered wind and silent words. Lauren shuffled up, making room for Edward and his family. Other filtered from the house, including Alice, Carlisle, Eleazar, Carmen and Emmett – the rest remained back, resigned to watch.

The circle expanded.

"May I?" Benjamin asked with a raise of his hand. With a small smile, she nodded and with a flick of his wrist, the pile of charred twigs ignited with a small yellow flame with crackled and flickered. The wind had died to nothing and the smoke filtered up into the fly as the flames spread and grew tall and thin.

Eyes settled on her; Crimson and gold, brown and black and green, and she turned to her Grandpa because he was an Elder, and he had the highest position among them. In rituals and traditions such as these, such things had to be acknowledged. Her grandpa had never been a wolf, but had sat on the council for almost sixty years until his failing body had him bowing out before he was forced out the door. Not only was he _the _oldest person in all of the villages in Neah Bay, but he was rigid and stern, knowledgable and wise and people turned to him when they needed help. His words were held to the highest respect. While she had always conducted the packs prayers, with her grandpa present he outranked her,

The vampire knew nothing of the looks and silence and waited impatiently. They too felt it – the gravity that seemed to pin them to the floor, that held their attention and moods in limbo, between sombre and peace. There was no hostility or anger in any of them.

Her Grandpa smiled so sweetly, his eyes saying what his pride would not allow; his sorrow and regret, his pride and honour to be her family, his joy at her finding her imprint after so many lonely years. Her pack waited.

She turned to them, hair sweeping across her shoulder. There was something different in her face; a hardness in her lips, the way her eyes were tight and piercing. Alice couldn't exactly pin it down, and Edward stared without answers. He wanted to take her hand but something held him back. She had every eye on her.

Her eyes were on the flames. They reflected in her eyes and she blinked lazily, just the once as the smoke billowed into the frozen sky. Her mouth opened but her mouth wrapped around words none of them knew or understood. It was not a language even Carlisle had come across. Her eyes were heavy but unwavering, despite the smoke that had the vampires cutting off their useless breathing.

"_We thank you for our lives here, tonight. And I beg of you to please keep them safe. When you return to us – keep them all safe. Edward and his family are good – they help those who they should kill. They do not deserve death. Please watch over them, protect them as you do us._

_Protect the Olympic Coven._

_Protect the Denali Coven._

_Protect Garret, and Benjamin and Tia and forgive them their errors, and see their hearts."_

They recognised the names _Olympic _and _Denali, _as well as the names of the three red-eyed vampires in their company, but nothing more. Her words were small, quiet and reverent and her eyes were unseeing as she stared at the fire. Her words weaved around them almost like a song they were all enraptured by.

"_Bring the Pack together again, like we should be. Forgive us all..."_

The wind blew, hard and icy into their faces and Bella's eyes closed for a brief moment as she inhaled, feeling the tendrils of affection whip through her hair. She could feel them standing around her, looking down at her, hearing her words uttered in her native tongue. She held her eyes closed, savouring the feeling of being close to them, of standing in their arms and falling beneath their protection.

"_Thank you for giving us hope."_

Jasper was monitoring her mood very closely. Weather aside, nothing was happening besides Bella and her pack had allowed their eyes to close. The fire crackled, whipping this way and that as the wind huffed ferociously, blustering hair and clothes and making the humans shiver.

In her minds eye, she could see them and their smiles as they looked down at her.

"_You have done us all proud," _they said in unison. There stood three; a tall, lean brown haired woman with a soft smile, a middle aged thick set man with a small black beard and another man, much younger and harder. Their voices chorused and harmonised and Bella felt fear and shock ricochet through her mind and body. It was not the first time she had spoken to the spirits, or even heard their responses, but never had they been so forward with themselves.

"_You need not fear us, young one," _they went on.

Jasper wondered what the hell was happening. Rain fell, sudden and light. Alice looked up at the sky. She had not seen any fall of rain for another three days. The wolves remained unmoving, hearts thudding hard and fast, breathing slow and deep as if meditating. Their emotions bounced, as if mirroring one another if only with a second or so of delay.

"_You will be tested," _they said.

The flames erupted suddenly, flashing and crackling and flying six foot in the air, towering over all of their heads. Bella's eyes opened a fraction of a second before those of her pack. The fire quieted itself. The rain stopped and the wind died once more.

She took a deep breath, feeling the last tendrils of peace and pride slip from her mind as the spirits left them to their celebrations. Her eyes found those of Thomas. His mother had, at some point, reached into his lap and grasped his hand in hers. She looked across the circle at Carlisle and his family, seeing the curious expressions and slightly agape mouths and wondering what they had seen, or thought was happening.

John smiled from across the clearing. Rachel relaxed and rolled her shoulders. Thomas stretched out his legs, his bones cracking loudly and making his mother tut in worry. Darkness had crept into the world while she'd had her eyes closed, but there was still a little of daylight left. She turned to her right, where her grandfather sat looking back at her with a small smile on his face.

She saw pride shining back at her. His hand rested on her shoulder, squeezing and supportive, despite everything between them that was still unsaid and undeclared. Despite her father, and the thoughts she hadn't even allowed herself to think yet. Despite the vampire that had captured her body and heart so completely that she didn't know how she coped without him before all of this.

She looked into those steel grey eyes that, so often had scolded and shouted and told her to stop and calm down. He had been her mother, her father, her mentor and friend and there was no-one else in the world like her grandpa. No-one could ever replace him in her life.

He spoke their native language sparingly. Neither would admit that his mind was slowly failing him and that the language often slipped through the cracks. He had heard every word Bella had said.

"_I am so very proud of you, little wolf," _he said with a small shine in his eye. Her destiny had always been marked – or so her grandpa believed. He had known, from the moment her mother had handed him over on that smothering hot summers day, that this little baby with rosy red cheeks would one day be a warrior wolf like her father. He had called her his _little wolf _when she was so young, but the nickname had faded as she had quickly matured and demanded not to be treated as a child anymore; she must have been eight.

"_Thank you," _she replied quietly. _"For everything you have given to me."_

Nothing more needed saying there and then, for her Grandpa's eyes slid past her and his smile broadened. _"Your vampire worries."_

She glanced beside her, and Edward's face was furrowed in a frown and his eyes revealed his anxiety. She couldn't help but laugh. _"He cares," _she said with a shrug as she turned back to her grandpa.

"_He loves you very much."_

"_And I love him."_

Her grandpa's smile dimmed somewhat, but he nodded.

"I think I should go and rest. Wake me when the food is ready," he said, speaking in English once more as he struggled to his feet. Bella was there, on her feet with her hands guiding him. He was much too proud to have his grand daughter carry him, so she offered her arm and he took it silently, but gratefully all the same. It must be difficult to be surrounded by those so much stronger and faster than themselves.

She returned to the fire quickly, retaking her place beside Edward. Her pack were quiet and pensive, contemplating what they had experienced with the spirits. She smiled meekly at the vampire whose eyes were only for her, and took his hand the moment she was able. "You look worried."

"I _am _worried," he spluttered. "What just happened?"

Bella frowned, glancing around at her pack. "We spoke to our spirits." She shared a heavy stare with Thomas.

"What did they say?" Edward said obviously.

It made Bella smile. "That we're doing okay," she said vaguely.

_You will be tested._

She didn't like to ponder the meaning behind those words. She didn't want to be tested. Hadn't she already been quite thoroughly tested? Had she not proven herself yet? Edward could see her worry and concern. Whatever she had _heard _hadn't been all good, but there was a current running through the circle, an unspoken rule to keep it unspoken. No human asked what had been uttered, or what a wolf had _seen. _

"It started raining," Edward told Bella when she realised his shirt was damp on his shoulders.

Her face crumpled in a frown. "Really?"

"And the fire was weird," Emmett chimed in from beside his brother. Bella's eyes widened but her lips twitched with a barely hidden smile. "It went really high... like, for no reason at all."

Her eyes went to Benjamin, but he shook his head. It had not been him.

"I don't believe in spirits or Gods or whatever," Emmett said seriously. "But this just gives me the creeps."

Bella had laughed at his bold, honest admission, made moments after a very intense, spirit walk with her own spirits. She liked his tenacity. She heard the rustle of material and saw bodies twisting and looking up – the moon was there, nestled high in the sky, still faint but definitely there. Their hunger would not be ignored.

But it would, because suddenly the circle was gone and the wolves were on their feet. "No," Bella said quickly, cursing her own instinct to phase and protect. "Not tonight," she said strongly. "Rachel-" she said patiently. The girl was still staring out into the woods. They were coming closer, too close, too familiar.

"What do you want us to do?" Thomas asked.

"We let them come," Bella said easily. "We don't fight. Not now."

The wolves sat – but Bella put herself between the circle and the east, where the party was approaching from. There were twelve – twenty four feet thudding against dirt and earth and it made her nervous. They had laws that they all upheld and respected to the highest possible degree and she didn't think Lana would be one to cast them aside.

The approaching pack slowed two miles out when the stench of vampire began to strengthen. Bella waited. "We can protect you, if need be," Carlisle had told her. They had sixteen very capable vampires at their disposal, but she had merely shaken her head and kept her eyes on the forest ahead of her.

"We will not endanger the treaty. We will phase if need be," she said with a sigh, glancing back at Carlisle. "Do not step in, Carlisle."

He said nothing. Edward was glaring and staring between them. In this, he had no voice. He wasn't a leader. He knew Carlisle respected Bella, not only as a warrior and woman, but a wolf and it aggravated him more than he anticipated, seeing him stand down in the face of such a threat. He was ready for a fight; as were his coven.

"I wouldn't," Lauren said knowingly from across the circle. Her eyes were intent and narrowed on Jasper. "If the pack doesn't kill you, then Bella will."

"She is with Edward. She is family," Jasper said sincerely. "We will not stand by while our family is threatened."

The pack looked at Jasper, dissecting his words, waiting for a break in the mask but there was none; his words were true. Somewhere between the baseball field and the fires, the Cullen's had accepted Bella as one of their own. Thomas smiled. "As nice as that is, you can't take on the Pack," Lauren said dismissively. "Not only would you be risking open war – and _trust me _you don't even want to go down that road, but you'd be risking the alliances we've made for these bloody newborns. I don't think she'd be too happy to see it all fall to pieces because you want to _protect her," _she said with something close to a sneer.

"Not to mention, if you did kill any of them..." John chimed in helpfully.

Eyes were hard and landed on Carlisle. His decision hadn't shifted. "We stay put." He looked pointedly to Benjamin, Tia and Garret. "_All _of us." They nodded.

Bella was ignorant to the tension in the circle a few hundred feet behind her. Her sole attention was on the approaching people. She saw them a minute or so before they broke through the tree line and stepped out into the open. She saw their scowls and glares, their angry faces and low eyes. Lana took the lead, ordering the others to stay back and wait.

She stepped out of the cover of the trees, eyes wide and wary as she took in he sixteen vampires so close by and the traitor humans in our midst. Bella allowed her to look. She could see her throat bob with her gulp, could see the tremble of her hands with her anxiety. She was troubled, and this was difficult for her. Finally, those black eyed fell on Bella and she couldn't help a small, conspirational smile.

"Bella," she said as she approached. Her pack broke rank and approached, one by one, hesitant and mildly afraid of how they would be received. Bella's pack were on their feet in an instant – from the moment the eleven people stepped out into the moonlight.

"Kim..."

Bella looked at Tony as he rushed past them all, not caring for tenuous treaties and vampires. He had eyes only for Kim and she ran for him, arms open wide and they met in a mess of arms and tears, falling to the floor wrapped around one another, mumbling apologies and _I miss you's _so lovingly that it felt too personal to watch.

"We should be together tonight," Lana said quietly. Standing before Bella, she was no Alpha. They could all see it. She was submissive to her. "If you will allow it."

Bella's eyes went to those behind her – to her friends and family that she had missed so very dearly, that had been left behind to deal with the fallout of her actions. "This land is not mine," Bella said quietly.

"For tonight," Carlisle agreed behind her.

The vampires sat and watched the wolves rejoin as one pack. There were so many – too many if truth be told. They were an army all of their own. Even halved, they were a force to be reckoned with. There were smiles and tears as the two packs collided, playful punches and heartfelt embraces for missed friendships. Bella had tried to tuck herself away with Lana quietly, but a tall, thin woman grabbed her and pulled her into a tight hug as tears dripped from her eyes.

"Jane," Bella had said comfortingly. "It's alright."

"Come home Bella," she begged weakly. "Please."

Bella had smiled and pulled away. "One day."

No-one knew the future – not even their little psychic.

While the pack got reacquainted, Bella turned her attention to Lana. None of those from her pack had greeted her, and Bella could see the hurt, the betrayal and guilt written in her dark eyes as she stared at the floor. "They will forgive you," Bella told her sincerely.

"Do you?"

Her eyes focussed on Bella. "There is nothing to forgive," Bella insisted before pulling the woman into the first hug she'd had in weeks. The contact was comforting and warm and it was all she could do not to melt and fall to sobs at her feet. "You had good intentions."

"I am so sorry Bella," Lana sniffed mutely in her hair. "I never meant for any of this to happen."

"None of us did," Bella said quietly as the pair pulled apart. They ignored the stares from both packs, the whispers between the vampires. Their words were silent, only for their ears, not for the prying ones. "Thank you for bringing them."

"We brought food too," Lana said with a watery smile.

Bella laughed quietly. "Thank you; the food thing has been a bit of an issue around here."

"Is he worth it?" Lana asked quietly her eyes falling on Edward as he spoke quietly to his father from across the broken circle around the fire.

"Nothing is worth breaking the pack," Bella said firmly.

She nodded mutely, guilt swallowing her again. "I want to tell them, but I don't know how."

"Speak," Bella prompted without humour. "Be honest with them. Earn their respect, and Alpha or not, they will follow you."

Hannah, Rick and Laura all darted back into the woods for a few minutes before returning with six large bags. Food.

Bella's pack had been overjoyed, slapping their hands together as their stomachs growled and they had all stood and waited as Bella stood in her place beside Edward, and the vampires watched the Alpha in her rear again. Her eyes were intent. The circle had grown once again. Thomas and Lauren were sent to find more wood, and Lana asked Luke and Daniel to do the same. The fire grew to double its size, and still the wolves stood.

Only when the flames grew to eight foot did Bella look across it, to not only the eyes of her pack, but to those who were family too. They revealed their sadness, their torn thoughts and she had nodded mutely and lowered herself to the floor cross legged. They waited for her to sit before sitting themselves.

It was odd, but respectful to her position. No-one failed to mention that half of the wolves weren't tied to her anymore. No-one voiced that Lana had sat with everyone else. It didn't need saying; Bella was the Alpha. That was fact. There was nothing to be interpreted.

The power was there, not lorded or forced but felt among them all. Not even the vampires were immune, and Jasper was willing to bet that Carlisle's admiration and intimidation was only going to get worse the longer Bella stuck around. The bags were empties, revealing more than a hundred sausages, rashers of bacon and potatoes.

Kim was far too busy kissing and sitting in the lap of Tony, her head on his shoulder as she smiled and stared at the fire. His thumb rubbed the exposed skin of her hip and he held her so close that it was hard to figure out where he ended and she began. Their love was obvious and Edward was interested in them – mated, _imprinted _as they were, a woman to a man.

It struck him that the wolf _should _be the stronger of the two, being the protector by nature, stronger and faster in all ways, and yet Kim huddled in Tony's arms like a meek little teenager. He knew that Bella was strong, determined and stubborn, but she allowed him to hold and comfort her. She told him what she hadn't even told her own pack. She relied on him.

Sausages were skewered and held over the flames and it was clear that the pack did this often. They did not flinch from the hissing, spitting fire as Edward and his family did. Lana's pack stayed away from the vampires – making a conscious effort not to talk or even look at them for too long. To them, they were still the enemy. Bella felt a swell of pride when she saw Kyle talking to Jasper.

"Bella-"

Lana smiled from across the fire.

"Would you say the prayer?"

Lana's pack looked confused at the request, but Bella nodded. The prayer was simple and quick, a thank you to the spirits for the food they'd received that year, and the hopes of more to come. Lana and Bella's eyes met for a long moment and no-one was oblivious to it. Some sort of silent communication flowed between them and suddenly Lana cleared her throat and looked down into her lap.

"I am not the Alpha," she said to her lap.

The fire was the only sound on the lawn. The vampires in the house quieted and gathered near the doors. "I gave it to the Council."

Her nerves were only too obvious and her pack was stunned and angry. Carlisle was worried; he didn't know what this would mean for their alliance. _We have never met the council. There is nothing stopping them from attacking..._

Edward shook his head a little. From what he'd seen and heard, they were much more concerned about their internal politics and defending, than senselessly attacking covens. He honestly didn't see the tribe as a threat, and he had a feeling the pack would sooner revolt to Bella before attacking _innocent _vampires, as she put it.

The circle disbanded. Lana and her pack took off into the night – to talk, to leave, to fight it out they didn't know. "I'm glad she finally told them," Bella sighed quietly as she leaned against Edward's arm. It was far from the enveloping hug between Kim and Tony, but he would take whatever she was willing to give.

"That's what she told you," Thomas realised with raised eyebrows.

Her pack wasn't angry with her. Unlike Lana's Pack, they trusted Bella and though they were annoyed to be kept out of the loop, they recovered quickly. Conversation flowed quietly in little pockets and Bella assured Carlisle that it was highly unlikely that the council would ever order an attack on a coven – it had never happened before. Her certainty put him at ease, but his thoughts still lingered on the possibilities.

"I get the feeling they'd sooner switch sides than attack you," Ted said quietly, his arm wrapped around his wife tightly. "None of them looked overly happy."

The food was cooked and her Grandpa was roused. Bella was about to tell him about Lana and the packs arrival when they returned, laden with more bags that clanged and crashed with their contents. Bella laughed and the wolves all grinned as the circle was reformed, with the bags set in front of Bella. The stench was quite unbelievable.

"What is _that?" _Emmett cried rather rudely.

"Alcohol," Bella said as she unzipped the blue bags and revealed dozens of thick, green glass bottles filled with clear liquid.

"I've _never _smelled alcohol quite like that," Emmett argued weakly.

"That's because if a human drank this, they'd die," she explained as she threw the bottles to each of the nineteen wolves, each catching it easily in their grasp, before taking one for herself. "We burn through alcohol really quickly. The only way to actually get _drunk _is to get the really strong stuff."

She tossed one to Emmett as she pulled off the warped metal top and tipped it back, taking a large mouthful and cringing. It did honesty taste disgusting. Emmett took a sniff of his bottle and instantly held it out to Edward, who took it with an amused grin. "What proof is that?"

"Mid nineties."

_Are we sure we want twenty drunk werewolves on the lawn?_

Edward met Jasper's concerned eyes. Even on such strong liquor, the wolves were barely tipsy. It turned their cheeks rosy and relaxed their shoulders, and smiled were wider than ever before. He could see the small cliques – the women that chatted about how handsome Garret was, and the men that challenged one another to fights because they could.

"How do you control them all?" Jasper asked quietly. Bella had moved away from the others, keeping her drink close by but at her side as she watched her pack unwind and have fun. She sat with Edward and his family quietly.

"I don't," she replied honestly. "I've never controlled them."

Jasper understood. He felt the bond between her and her pack, but Alice wasn't an empath. "Aren't you supposed to be in charge?"

Bella pondered this for a moment, stretching her legs out in front of her and nursing her bottle in her lap as she watched Luke throw Thomas over his shoulder, landing with a sickening _thud _as the others cackled. "What would you do if Garret told you to run to Canada and back?"

"It depends why he'd asked me," Alice rebutted.

"No, not _asked – told," _Bella emphasised. "Telling people what to do and giving orders doesn't put you in charge. I've earned their trust and respect. I don't need to order them to do anything. And I trust and respect them to listen to me."

"There's so many of them," Esme breathed quietly. Her lawn was crawling with Makah people, full of laughter and life and happiness. The house had never been to lively.

Bella smiled and nodded, because the vampires had been expecting another pack like Sam's and they had been sorely mistaken. There she sat between Edward's legs, her back against his chest and his nose in her hair and she had never felt so at home. She closed her eyes.

_She looks happy, _Esme said fondly as she watched Bella relax against Edward. _I hope she will be happy with us one day._

Her Grand father was sat with Benjamin and Tia. Bella had been very wary, sitting at his side and staring the pair down until, after a few minutes, she allowed herself to get pulled away. Edward had assured her that neither intended to harm her grandpa. He had told them a few of the Makah Legends; of the White Wolf and the Three Men.

_You will be tested._

The words filled her with dread once more.

"You okay?" Edward asked quietly in her ear. He'd felt her stiffen and tense in his arms and he worried at where her thoughts had strayed. His hand rubbed up and down her scorching skin in an attempt to soothe her mind.

"Yeah," she said faintly as she peeled her eyes open.

Would it Edward she would lose?

Her eyes went to her Grandpa and her heart ached at the thought of losing him. She knew the one day, some time within the next few years it would come. He would not be there by her side, scolding and smiling anymore but she wasn't ready.

_You will be tested._

* * *

Remember, only reviewers get cookies!

Another apology... I was building the guinea pig cage for four hours! Completely lost track of time!


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